Riddles of Water Volume 3: Shapes in the Rain
by arelissa
Summary: Whatever the situation, there was always that one irconclad rule of Seireitei: No emotions allowed. And we broke it. HitsuxOC
1. 00: Contronyms

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN DUUUUNNN~ So here it is, the EPIC-ALY short prologue of the FINAL volume of Riddles of Water. Visit the website for better summary and a excerpt. ^^ Enjoy! **

Figure Zero

Contronyms

//Life is a contradiction at times – as are we. ~ Anonymous\\

_His face was close to mine. His eyes were closed. He was murmuring apologies into my ear. I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything as I felt my arm lift up of its own accord. I whispered a hurried 'sorry' before my hand sunk deep into the flesh of his stomach. His eyes widened. _

"NO!"

I shot up from bed, eyes wide and sweat pouring down my face. The light clicked on and the room divider was ripped open, revealing a very worried Abigail.

"What's going on?"

I shook my head, raising a shaky hand to grab the bottle of water on my bedside table and chugged it down in one. Tossing the bottle away, I pulled the blankets up towards my chest and leaned back onto my pillow. Abigail hurried over to my bed, laying a hand on my forehead. Her hand was cold.

"You're burning up again. I thought the nurse said that you were healed!" I shrugged, not daring to open my mouth for fear of barfing.

"It was a dream about _him_ again, wasn't it?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of my bed. I nodded, eyes distant. I'd already been hospitalized because of these dreams, and when they finally told me it was over, they start again.

"You'll see him tomorrow. Don't worry about it too much, kay?" She patted my arm comfortingly and slid off my bed to crawl back into her own. The light clicked out, but I remained where I was, hugging my legs to my chest. It was true, I _was_ going to see him tomorrow. But what would that do? Would the dreams stop after I see him? Or would they continue... or maybe even get worse?

I shook my head. I can't think like that. And I've got to get some sleep or else I'll pass out again. Sliding back under the covers, I closed my eyes, willing my mind to show me something other than the white-haired captain.

* * *

**A/N: See? Didn't I tell you it was short? Well, welcome my friends, to the third and final volume of the Riddles of Water series. Yes yes, time certainly flies by. There is only TWO more days until the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the Riddles of Water series, and of COURSE, I will be updating the first chapter on that day, so from now till then, give me lots of reviews! This volumeis the one filled with the most drama, and a couple of fighting sequeneces, so there's lots to look forward to. As to what I will do AFTER I finish this series... I really don't know yet. **

**So YOU tell ME what YOU want to see, because I write these stories for YOU. Shoot me a review, and email, a PM, whatever, telling me what you'd like to see in the future! Any requests, comments or whatever, feel free to let me know and I'll try my best to make YOU happy. ^^ Alright! See you all in TWO days for the celebration of Riddles of Water's ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! **

**Mucho love!  
Arelissa **


	2. 01: First Degree

**A/N: HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY FOR RIDDLES OF WATER!!! Lol....Enjoy! **

Figure One:

First Degree

//Nothing is more important. Than those that we care for. Because once you look away. They won't be there any longer.\\

"Hey Koko... you sure you're ok?"

I lifted my head. Augustus was looking worriedly at me from across the room where we sat in the _Enchanted_. I nodded, shooting him a small smile, but kept my mouth shut.

"Well, you don't _look_ alright," he said, standing up and making his way over to my seat. He sat down next to me and bent over so he could see my face.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Just a bit... tired." I yawned. He patted my head and nodded.

"Alright then, whatever you say."

"You know, maybe you should talk to him," said Kara, frowning at me. They were all making such a big fuss out of this. They were overreacting.

"Look, it's nothing, ok? I'm fine. I just haven't been getting enough sleep. A couple of pills and I'll be all better. Quit making such a big deal out of it. You guys are making me feel like I've got some terrible disease or something." I looked around at all of them. None of them said anything, just stared at me. I sighed and turned to look out the window again. Nothing much was said for the rest of the ride back. When the ship pulled into port, they all stood up, chatting nonchalantly as if everything were normal, but the air about them were different. They were worried. I could tell.

As soon as I stepped off the last step, I began scanning the crowd for a crop of spiky white hair.

"Mina-chan!" someone sang, and the next moment, a pair of arms locked around my neck, pulling me backwards into something very squishy. Matsumoto.

"Ran-chan!" I turned and gave her a quick hug and a smile. Hitsugaya was nowhere to be seen. This puzzled me for a bit before my friends came up behind me, each with a very serious look on their faces.

"Would you please tell Hitsugaya that if he does anything else to hurt Koko – " Bryant said.

" – he'll have to report to us." Augustus finished.

Felix and Abigail looked anxiously at the two of them but kept their mouths shut.

"And tell him for us – "

" – that _we'll know_ if anything happens to Koko."

Matsumoto's smile faded slightly, replaced by mild shock. But her expression cleared as she processed what they were talking about. She hitched a smile back onto her face and nodded.

"Of course! I'll let him know once we get back."

"Alright. Take care, Koko." Bryant ruffled my hair.

"Yeah, and remember to write," Kara added.

"Miss ya," said Abigail, giving me a quick hug.

"Feel free to come visit us anytime... if you ever feel the need to," Augustus said, giving me a swift pat on the back. Kara just smiled and waved. Felix, however, pulled me into a tight hug.

"Don't get too worked up over the dreams, kay? They're no big deal. Just know that I'm always here for you," he said. His voice was so quiet I doubt anyone else heard it except me. I didn't know how to respond. What did he mean 'they're no big deal'? I gave him a questioning look, but he just smiled and began to walk away like everyone else.

I turned to Matsumoto.

"Where's Hitsugaya-san?" I asked. Matsumoto paused for a moment.

"He... had some things he needed to do. So he couldn't make it." She phrased her words carefully, as if trying to make it sound as professional as possible. I frowned. There was something going on here, and I'm not sure I was going to like it. I let the question go for now, and began a light conversation about school. The whole way back, we spoke of nothing that had anything to do with Hitsugaya. It was as if Matsumoto was deliberately avoiding the subject.

When we stepped through the Senkai Gate, it was to find Ukitake-taichou and Kyouraku-taichou standing there, broad smiles on their faces. Looking at their faces, I felt a smile split my own face. I rushed forward, grinning madly, and came to a stop in front of the two of them. Two of my all-time favorite Captains here to see me back.

"Okaeri, Takamori-chan," Kyouraku-taichou said, mussing up my hair and smoothing it down again.

"Tadaima," I smiled impossibly wider up at the two of them. Ukitake chuckled and began to lead us towards his Division. I paused, looking down at the trunk I was lugging.

"Ne Ukitake-taichou, Kyouraku-taichou, I'm just going to drop this off at Hitsugaya-taichou's office, okay?" I started off towards the 10th Division, but they both rushed forwards to stop me.

"Er no, no! We'll take care of that for you," Ukitake-taichou said. He was really too kind. I grinned at him and shook my head.

"It's ok, I'll do it myself. I'll be right back, and I wanted to say hi to Hitsugaya-taichou." I turned and walked off towards the 10th Division again. I didn't see Ukitake-taichou and Kyouraku-taichou exchanging defeated expressions, nor did I hear them sigh.

I hummed all the way to the 10th Division, smiling and greeting whoever passed me by. I was just wondering where Matsumoto had went when I slid open the 10th Division Captain's Office's door.

"Tadaima Hitsug – " the sentence died in my throat as I dropped my trunk with a loud clunk.

Hitsugaya was laughing and sipping tea, and sitting next to him was none other than Hinamori. It looked more like a date than anything else, and what's worse is that he looked like he was having _fun._ Something that, up until now, I thought he was incapable of doing. And to make matters worse, his _arm _was around her. They were closer than what I thought would be comfortable for just two friends, and he was looking at her like he'd never looked at anyone else before. Hitsugaya's eyes widened as they met mine, and I could register nothing but shock reflected in them.

"Takamori?"

"Erm... hey! Um... I didn't mean to... er... interrupt anything... so... I'll just... go... now," I said, backing away with each word. Then I turned, and ran. I pushed passed people, running blindly towards the one place I knew I could safely hide.

The Senkai Gate was up ahead. Completely disregarding the guards' surprised shouts, I sprinted passed them, running right into the black oblivion, appearing a moment later, in a familiar candy shop.

"Takamori-san?" Urahara looked up from the cup of tea he was drinking, looking half shocked, half amused.

"C-can I st-tay here fo-or a b-bit?" I asked, breathing in ragged breaths, not even trying to hide the flood of tears pouring down my cheeks. I didn't notice they were there. I was confused. Why was I crying?

"Of course you can! Want to tell me what's wrong?" He patted floor next to him, and I sat down, wrapping my arms around myself, sobbing desperately. I shook my head.

"Alright then, I won't force you. Would you like some tea?" he asked, calling Ururu into the room. I nodded, dragging my sleeve across my face, sloppily wiping away the tears. I nodded again in thanks when Ururu handed me a cup of steaming tea. I took a sip and felt the warmth slide down my throat, into my stomach, warming my whole body. I sniffed.

"I-I'm sorry. To c-come b-burs-sting i-in like th-this," I said, stuttering as I tried to calm my breathing. I took another long drink, setting the half-empty cup onto the table.

"It's alright. We don't mind. Haven't had many customers these days, so it's nice to have some company. Though if I ever thought _you_ were going to come and visit, Takamori-san, I would have expected a smile to that frown of yours right now," he said.

I didn't answer. The image of Hitsugaya and Hinamori kept popping up in my head. It hurt me so much, though I didn't know why. My heart felt like it was being squeezed so hard it was about to explode. I clutched at my chest, hoping this dreadful feeling would go away. Why? Why did it hurt so much to see them like that? They weren't even doing anything out of the ordinary. Well, maybe they were, but still nothing drastic. Why was I reacting like this?

"Takamori-san, you know... you won't ever forget the one you love, no matter how hard you try. The memories are imprinted in your heart, and whatever you do, they'll always be there," Urahara said, sipping his tea, staring at the opposite wall.

The one I... love? Is he saying that... I loved Hitsugaya?

Then, it dawned on me. My memories. Even though they were erased, they never really left because... I loved Hitsugaya. It was all starting to make sense now. The dreams, why they were all about him. Those weren't dreams at all, they were my memories. Things that had happened... locked in my heart.

But that raised several other problems. I knew that I loved him now, that was great and everything... yet hadn't I just seen him with that other girl, Hinamori? How was I supposed to face him now, after I'd see that? Would he even want to speak to me after I ran out like that?

"How about you stay here for the night, and after you've got everything sorted out, then you can go back to Soul Society." Urahara offered. I snapped out of my line of thought and nodded. That seemed to be a good idea. A night away from all of that seemed really tempting right now.

"Thanks Urahara-san." I smiled appreciatively and finished off my cup of tea.

The next morning, I woke up with a very bad headache. I groaned and buried my head in the pillow, wishing that the random images in my head would go away. They were all of Hitsugaya and Hinamori. And as much as I'd love to not care, I did. They hurt me much more than I would have liked to admit.

"Takamori-san! There's someone here to see you!"

I groggily got up, rubbing my eyes. I heard the door slide open and footsteps. My eyes fell on a pair of feet. Shinigami's feet. I froze. My eyes followed the pair of feet up all the way up to a pink sash. I gazed up at Matsumoto, a blank expression on my face. She looked half-angry half relieved, her arms folded under her inhuman breasts.

"Mina-chan," her voice was stern.

"I'm not going back... not yet," I backed away from her as she took a step forward. She noticed the movement and stopped mid-step. I continued to back away until my back touched the wall. Pulling my legs into my chest, I put my chin atop my knees, eyes downcast.

"Mina-chan..."

"I already know... that I used to love Hitsugaya. A-and I also know... that he's now in love with Hinamori. It's ok. It really is. I just... don't feel like going back yet," I said. She reached me in three long strides and wrapped her arms around me. I stiffened slightly, but relaxed soon after. Tears started to well up in my eyes again. I didn't stop them, letting them fall freely onto her shihakushou. I didn't try to hide the pain as I sobbed into her shoulder. She cooed softly in my ear and patted my back, soothing me. I clung to her like a lifeline, as if she was the only thing that could prevent me from going completely insane.

"You still don't remember... do you?"

I shook my head.

"But you _know_..." she sighed and held me tighter, her hands running through my hair. I was so confused. I knew where my memories were, yet I couldn't call upon them. I didn't remember, yet I knew. It hurt.

"Let's go back, and we'll –"

"NO!" I detached myself from her arms and pressed myself impossibly closer to the wall, eyes wide.

"No! I'm not going back! I don't want to. Please don't make me..."

I heard her sigh again. A hand landed on my head, patting down my hair that hadn't been brushed from the night before. She silently wiped away my tears and backed away. For a while, we just sat there. My sobs subsided into light hiccups and uneven breaths. My eyes felt heavy and puffy, and my face was stiff from the dried tears.

"It's not going to get any better if you just sit here, you know," Matsumoto said gently. I nodded, but didn't do anything else.

"Why don't you want to go back?" I shook my head.

"I don't – want to see him," I hiccupped.

"...you're going to have to see him sooner or later –"

"Then I'd prefer later," I shot back instantly. There was a slight pause.

"It's only going to hurt more if –"

"Let it hurt then."

"Mina-chan, you're being unreasonable." Her voice was no longer soft, but biting. She was frustrated and I knew it. At that moment, I couldn't have cared less. Let her be. It wasn't my problem anymore. I'm not going back.

I didn't reply.

"Takamori-san. Come with me at once. That's an order," Matsumoto rose to her feet. I shook my head silently. She swooped down and grabbed my wrist. I twisted my hand, struggling to break free of her grasp, but she was stronger, much stronger. She dragged me all the way across the room, with me flailing and cursing the whole way. Urahara opened the door and stared at the two of us, an odd expression on his face. I pushed myself to my feet and began to try and tug my arm out of her grasp. Matsumoto did not waver, only stood there, her iron grip clamped around my wrist. The skin there was beginning to hurt from all the wriggling, but I didn't care. I wasn't going back and that was that. End of story. Goodbye. Screw childishness. Screw immaturity. I didn't care anymore.

"Let _go_ of me _damnit!_ Let GO!"

"Minako-san. Mightn't you think it better to just go and come back to visit later?" Urahara asked. I glared at him. Traitor. He was supposed to root _for_ me, not _against_ me.

"NO! I'm NOT going back. Not for my LIFE! Now let GO! Get your hands off of me!"

"If you keep pulling, you'll dislocate a joint."

"I don't care if you pull off my _arm_. I'm not going!"

"Be quiet and come with me!"

"No!"

She was pulling me through the door. I tried to grab onto the doorframe, but she didn't give me have enough time to latch on, giving me a particularly harsh tug. I'd never seen Matsumoto so pissed before. In my mind, she'd always been the nice sort. Very cheery and laid back, never angry and aggressive. This was a whole new side of her, and I'm not sure I like it very much. She dragged me all the way down the street. None of the people could see us, so no one stopped to stare, for which I was grateful. After all, I'm supposed to be dead. Even if that were over two years ago, being seen still wasn't very smart. Who knows how long back these people's memories last.

Matsumoto had somehow managed to open a Senkai Gate with one hand and drag me through. We appeared back in Seireitei. The guards hurried forward, but paused as they saw the condition I was in. The skin on my wrist was rubbed raw and tears were trickling down my cheeks for the second time today. I was screaming and yelling, cursing and swearing at everything and anything, squirming like an earthworm on a dry day.

"M-Matsumoto-fukutaichou... what is the meaning of this?" they asked. She merely shook her head and walked passed them with me in tow. It was very uncomfortable, being dragged like this, not to mention the pain shooting up my arm from my wrist.

By the time we reached the 3rd Division Grounds, I'd given up. It was no use trying to get away from her. She was stronger and more experienced in keeping people in check. Following silently after her, I made no attempt to get away. After a while, her death grip loosened, but only slightly. The pain subsided a bit, but I still flinched at every little movement of raw skin against her hands.

"Rangiku-chan... where are we going?"

She stopped and I almost walked into her. I could see her shoulders move as she took a deep breath, as if to calm herself down. She didn't turn, but her voice was shaky.

"Back to the 10th Division. Taichou isn't there anymore, so you don't need to worry. All of your belongings are already in your room."

"When's he coming back?"

"He's at a meeting, so we don't know. But it won't be for some time yet. He wanted to get you from Urahara himself, but the summons was issued only minutes after that, so he had no choice."

"Oh..."

I stared at the pink skin at my wrist and bit my lip. Half of me was happy that I didn't have to see him immediately, but another half of me wanted to see him again. His annoyed expressions, his forever present frown. The dreams had showed me a decent amount of what he was like, however vague.

The 10th Division looked as it did before I left. The neatly organized bookshelves and the two sofas. Hitsugaya's desk in front of the shelves, lined with ludicrously tall piles of papers. He always had paperwork to do. Always. I'd never seen that desk empty, ever. Or, maybe I have, I just can't remember. By this time, Matsumoto had let go of my wrist, knowing that I would not try and run away again. I took in the details of the room slowly. Things had changed, though subtly. My eyes fell upon the spot where I'd seen Hitsugaya with Hinamori. A sick, shivery feeling crept through my system as I pictured the two of them standing there, Hitsugaya's arms wrapped tightly around Hinamori's waist.

My wrinkled my nose in distaste. It disgusted me, but I felt guilty for it. It was only human to feel jealous, though that didn't make it any the better. It was so confusing, jealousy was. I really didn't know _how _to feel anymore.

"Mina-chan? Are you feeling ok? You don't look very well," Matsumoto said.

"I'm fine. All that screaming took more energy than I thought," I replied weakly. Slowly, I made my way to the room I'd stayed in and pushed open the door. My belongings were stacked neatly against the wall. Without so much as a glance at my trunk, I hurried forward and flopped onto my bed. The silks seemed to pull me into the softness of the bed as I closed my eyes. Crying and screaming took so much energy. My eyes felt heavy and swollen, which they probably were .

When I awoke, the curtains were drawn and I was under the blankets. The moon was high in the sky, indicating that it was already pretty late at night. The lights were out, and I could barely distinguish the thin line of light that sneaked in under my door. I stared at it for a few moments before slipping out of bed and walking on tiptoes to the door. Carefully, I pressed my ear to the door, listening for the sound of rustling paper or a pen being set down. Hearing nothing, I slowly pushed open my door. Hitsugaya was sitting in his desk, pen moving fluently and silently across the page. As my head appeared in the crack between the door and the wall however, he paused and looked over at me. Our eyes met. Something passed between us and the air suddenly turned from semi-light to dense and awkward.

I was about to withdraw my head when his voice stopped me.

"Wait... don't go. I can explain."

**A/N: HAPPY HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY FOR RIDDLES OF WATER! It has been exactly 365 days since I first published Patterns in the Snow, and now we are already on the THRID volume. I'm so happy that you guys kept on supporting my story. It was a goal to get over 100 reviews per story, and you guys helped that dream come true, well not yet for this volume, but from the way it's going, it'll be no problem if all of you review! Thanks again for supporting my story! Please PLEASE review to tell me what you thought! **

**I love you all so much! And THANKS AGAIN,  
Arelissa **


	3. 02: Clip

**A/N: One of my quicker updates, I have to admit. XD Enjoy! **

Figure Two:

Clip

//The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts ~C.S Lewis\\

"Wait, I can explain."

I paused, eyes lowered. Explain what? What was there to explain? Everything was so painfully obvious, that an explanation would do nothing more than deepen the gash in my chest. I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to hear anything that he had to say. Not right now at least. Not right now...

"What's there to explain?"

"There's nothing between me and Hinamori."

"Liar. You LIAR!" I shouted, lifting my eyes to meet his, tears splattering down my cheeks. "You seriously think I'm going to believe that there's nothing going on when I caught you two practically sitting on each other? What do you think I am? And idiot?!" I threw the door open and stomped into the room, stopping a few feet away from his desk. I was fuming. I'd never felt so betrayed in my life. It wouldn't have been nearly as bad if he'd just admitted it out right, but this? This... trickery. This... covering up for something he'd clearly done. This wasn't like him. In fact, I didn't know he was like this at all. I'd always thought he was incapable of lying. But I then again, this wasn't the first time my judgment had failed me. I thought he'd been fond of me, even thought that maybe, just _maybe_ he held affections for me. I was wrong. I was so wrong. And now, I was wrong about this too. Should I even be surprised anymore?

"You don't understand the –"

"Fine then! What don't I understand? Help me understand why you're lying to my face! Help me understand exactly what's going on here if what you say is true." I crossed my arms and stared determinedly at his face, blinking away the angry tears still trickling down my face. I was hurt. I think he knew. Of course he knew. I'd made it obvious. I hadn't tried to hide anything from him. My mind and my thoughts were always like an opened book to him, and I thought of him the same way. But was clearly mistaken. I thought I understood him. I even thought he was beginning to let me in. All childish misgivings and misconceptions. So what was there that he could say? What was there that could possibly make this any worse than it is now? I was curious.

"That meeting this afternoon, it was nothing more than a little tea between two old friends. There's nothing there between us." He was slowly walking towards me, his eyes trained on mine. I took a small step back, and he halted, seemingly surprised by the movement. I saw something akin to hurt in his eyes, and felt my heart twinge in guilt. He sounded so sincere. He sounded so convincing, but my trust was broken. My trust was gone. It vanished the moment I walked into the room when I came back to find him sitting and laughing with Hinamori.

Then again, what right did I have over him? He wasn't 'mine' and I doubted he would ever be. No, I was quite _sure_ that he would never be now. So what was it to me if he was with someone else? What was it to me what he does? What is it to me whether or not he cares?

But I care. I realize that now. Even though my memories are still not as full as I want them to be. Half a year's worth of dreams had made me quite sure of my feelings towards him. I loved him, and I knew it. I knew that he knew too. Was this his way of showing rejection since he doesn't want to tell it to my face. Does he not know that it hurts a hundred times more like this?

"Really? There's nothing?" my voice was shaking. He nodded, taking another step towards me. I didn't move this time, only stood there, staring up at him. He raised his hand, and brushed a hair from my face, letting it trace my cheek, behind my ear, and finally to a rest on my shoulder.

"Nothing..." his face lowered, and his forehead connected with mine. He closed his eyes.

I pulled away, turning my back on him, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Stop it. Just stop it. Please... stop."

"What?" he sounded so confused.

I was shaking, not with sobs, or anything of the sort. I wasn't crying. I wouldn't allow myself to. Not tonight. Not right now. Not in front of him. It was very cold all of a sudden, like an unwanted breeze managed to wedge itself beneath the cracks in the door and blow in. I hugged myself even tighter, biting my lip.

I didn't know whether or not to believe him. He sounded so convincing, and sincere, but... every time I willed my heart to believe in his words, Hinamori kept popping up in my head. She was so much better suited for him than I was. She was a ranked officer with powers I couldn't even dream of, and she's known him since he was just a boy. And then there's me. A random girl with weird magic tricks, and I've only known him for what wasn't even five percent of his life. I fail to see why anyone would choose me over Hinamori. I mean, she was so sweet and caring, whereas I'm sarcastic and rude. I didn't see the connection. Not at all. I also didn't see why he was going to so much trouble to lie to me. I knew the truth. There was no need for any of this. A plain, open confession would have sufficed. But this... not this... _anything_ but this...

"You don't have to do this just to make me feel better, you know. It's not helping." I said.

"You... don't believe me..." his voice was surprised. I didn't turn. I didn't want to see the look on his face, or see all those emotions in his eyes. I didn't _need_ to see them. I heard them, right there, in his voice. They have never been more exposed as they are now. As much as I don't know him, I did manage to wiggle some things out of him. Things I'd observed and memorized about his habits, though I admit, there's not a lot. One of the more prominent ones was his voice. No matter how hard he tried to mask it, when the situation became dire, his emotions will always leak though. Try as he might, he can't hide them completely. He's mastered the art of _looking_ the part, but he has yet to master _sounding_ the part, at least, not _quite_ yet. I have to admit, he's getting there though. It scared me to think that soon, I might not be able to read him at all.

I shook my head. "No... I don't." He sighed and removed his hand from my shoulder. I heard his footsteps as he walked back to the desk, and the creak of the chair as he sat down.

"I guess... it's to be expected, ne? I'll have to earn your trust back, don't I?"

I finally turned around. He wasn't looking at me, but sitting there with his face in his hands, looking tired and worn under the flickering candlelight. Suddenly, I felt bad for saying what I did, but what was done was done, and I wasn't about to start apologizing just because he looked the part. I refused to give in to the little tugs on my heart that begged me to just run up to him, hug him, and tell him everything was alright, because they weren't. And they will not be unless he proves to me that they are. Unless he _does something_ about them.

"You don't have to earn anything. Just prove to me that you're word is worth trusting," I answered quietly. He lifted his head and looked at me. I averted my eyes. Damn him...

"You... should really get some sleep," I said, turning my back resolutely towards him and taking a few steps towards my own door. I heard him sigh, and get up from his desk. There was a pause, and then he was right behind me. I gasped. His mouth was right next to my ear, I could feel it.

"You get some sleep too. Oyasumi."

And he was gone.

I let out the breath that I'd been holding and slowly turned my face back towards his desk. The office was empty. I stared at the dying candle for a few seconds before slowly walking back to my own room. The white cat was still sitting there, staring at me with its bright, empty eyes.

That night, I had a vivid dream. No, it was more of a nightmare than a dream.

_I was running, and there was something chasing me. It was getting closer and I was running out of breath. I pushed myself to keep on running as I heard its footsteps get closer... and closer... and closer... so close that I could feel its breath on the back of my neck. I closed my eyes, squeezed them shut and kept on running, forcing my legs to go faster... faster... faster. I wouldn't look back. No, I couldn't look back, for if I did, it would all be over, and I would never get up again. I couldn't. _

"_Takamori!" It was __**his**__ voice. I could tell. He was just up above, waiting for me. And I knew that if I reached him, I would be safe. With this thought in mind, I made myself run even faster than before, faster than I thought I could ever run in my whole life. Slowly, unwillingly, bit by bit, the thing behind me was losing ground. It was __**very**__ slow, but steady. I couldn't feel its breath anymore, and its footsteps were fading away. The white-haired figure was getting closer and closer. His arms were open... waiting. _

_I ran into them and... _

Light. Sunshine was pouring through my windows, and I reluctantly heaved myself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I hated mornings. Remembering the dream from the night before, I groaned, forcing myself not to crawl back into bed. Such a weird dream... but it was strangely comforting.

He'd... waited for me. He'd protected me. He'd urged me to go on even when I was about to give up on myself. I sighed.

I knew it. _I knew it_. I knew that as angry as I was with him, I couldn't _stay_ very angry with him for very long. As hurt as I was, I still wanted him. I still yearned for his voice, his face, his touch... It was all so pathetic. I was like a little child, seeking her favorite toy or blanket. I became to be so reliant on him. It was almost annoying to know that if he was gone, I could barely function.

Changing into my normal attire, I was just about to leave my room when I heard a very familiar voice in the outside room. A very familiar female voice. My heart sped up. What was she doing here?

"Ne, Shirou-chan, why do you seem so down?"

"I'm not down."

"Yes you are! You're always hunched over, and you don't look up when I ask you questions. I know you, you're upset about something."

I frowned. He does that? How come I never noticed? I thought I knew him... right... I _thought_ I knew him.

"I... I'm just..." he sighed. "It's just that... Takamori... she... well... she..."

"Did something happen between you and Takamori-san?"

There was a pause, in which he must have nodded or something because Hinamori made a noise of understanding.

"Hm... well, have you tried talking to her?"

"That's exactly what happened, but she doesn't seem to trust me anymore." He sounded so upset and desperate. I felt so bad for saying that I didn't trust him, but it was the truth. How could I have done, after what I saw? True, not all my memories are back yet, although most of them are. There are still blank periods of time when I don't know what went on. Still, they're returning bit by bit, when I dream and close my eyes, sometimes, I'd get a flash, or a jolt, and I'll suddenly remember something. It was all coming back, along with my old feelings. I knew now how much Hitsugaya meant to me, and how much I meant to him. It was... comforting to know, but it also bothered me. Somehow, the knowledge of the bond we used to share didn't make me as happy as I would have thought.

Along with the old feelings of love, came the old feelings of suppressive pain. It hurt to think about it, the reasons half of me wanted to be kidnapped. I didn't know what I want, and I still don't. Not really, anyways. All I _do_ know is that being here with him... it hurts. But at the same time, it makes me happy. It was all very confusing, all these emotions and things. I sometimes wondered what it would be like not to feel, not to care. But then I wouldn't be able to care for Hitsugaya. My heart wouldn't pound whenever he was near me, and my head wouldn't spin every time our skins touched. It would be rather boring and dull. Then at the same time, I wouldn't have to worry about that stabbing pain in my chest every time I saw him talking and laughing with Hinamori. I wouldn't have to worry about unbidden tears that well up in my eyes every time I thought about how much better suited Hinamori was for him than I was.

"Then you'll have to earn it back, won't you?" They were so alike. They even thought alike...

He sighed. "I guess."

I decided to break into the conversation. I slowly cracked opened the door and peaked through. Hitsugaya turned to face me, as did Hinamori. The moment he saw me, Hitsugaya put a scowl on his face and lowered his head back to his paperwork, though I could have sworn I saw him blush right before. Hinamori smiled brightly.

"Ohanyou gozaimasu, Takamori-san!"

I opened the door and rubbed my eyes, yawning.

"Ohanyou gozaimasu, Hinamori-fukutaichou. Ohanyou gozaimasu, Hitsugaya-san," I greeted. Hitsugaya glanced up at me from his paperwork. He regarded me for a split second longer than he should have done, but quickly covered it up.

"Ohanyou." He lowered his head again, pretending not to notice as I sat down on the sofa.

"I guess I should get going," Hinamori said, standing up from her place opposite me. She smiled at me, bowed slightly to Hitsugaya, and with a few farewells, left the room. Everything was uncomfortably quiet after she left, and the whole place just seemed to smell of awkwardness. I sat there, on the sofa, not knowing what I should do next. Hitsugaya was sitting at his table, scribbling away on his paperwork. I don't know how he managed to keep himself sane, doing all that paperwork. I surely wouldn't be able to do it. I doubt I'd last a day in his shoes.

That got me thinking. It got me to think of everything that he has to do in a day, and the pressure he was under. He was the youngest Captain in the Gotei 13, and rumored to be a prodigy. I knew it wasn't just a rumor, I'd seen the prodigal boy in action. But even someone like him needed a vacation once in a while. He _was _still a kid after all, and kids need fun, something I'm not sure Hitsugaya even knew the definition of.

"Hitsugaya-san... have you ever considered taking a vacation?" I asked. He paused, then lifted his eyes to look at me. There was something on his face like curiosity, as if he wondered why I would even ask such a question.

"No... why?"

"I don't know. You might need one." I shrugged, giving him a look that clearly told him I thought he was over-working.

"I do not. I'm perfectly fine."

I almost laughed at the venom in his voice. He obviously thought that I was underestimating him.

"You don't seem perfectly fine with those bags under your eyes, _Captain_." I let a smirk slide onto my face as I watched his form visibly tighten at my last word. Then he relaxed and scoffed, gracefully putting down his pen and arching an eyebrow at me. I felt suddenly hot and uncomfortable under his gaze and quickly looked away, reprimanding myself for losing control. Great, now I look like some idiot who was just shooting her mouth off. Curse him. Curse him and his ability to turn the tables on me in any and all given situations. It was a talent of his I found very annoying.

"Well, maybe a vacation wouldn't be so bad..."

My head snapped up. No way. He's actually considering it?

"Too bad it's summer. If it was winter, we could go to a ski resort or something."

"Ski resort? What's that?"

I almost laughed before I remembered that there were no ski resorts in Soul Society. I'm not even sure if they had vacation spots.

"It's a place where you go to ski. Skiing is when you... um..." I frowned, trying to think of a simple way to explain what skiing was to a Shinigami. "... when you tie these long, thin pieces of wood, or plastic, to your feet, and slide down the side of snow covered mountains and hills. Snowboarding is basically the same thing, except the piece of boarding is wider, and you tie both your feet to one board."

Hitsugaya stared at me, a completely incredulous look on his face. I thought about how weird that must sound to a person who had no idea what skiing and snowboarding was. I was never that good at explaining things, or teaching anyone anything for that matter. I generally got very annoyed with little children and I didn't have the patience to explain something to someone so that they could understand it.

"That... is the most _ridiculous_ thing I've ever heard in my life." He let out a small chuckle. I smiled at the sound. It's been such a long time since I've heard him laugh. He shook his head, sighed, and went back to work.

"It's not as bad as it sounds! Really!" I said enthusiastically. "It's actually harder than most people think it is. I went skiing with my dad once, and I didn't know how to stop, so I crashed face-first into a tree and my dad had to come and pull me back out of the snow."

At this, Hitsugaya couldn't help but crack a smile. I smiled as well. Maybe this won't be so hard, getting along with him and all. I'd done it before, what makes me think I can't do it again? It was going very well so far, at least I thought it was. He was becoming more friendly, and I, in turn, was getting much more comfortable around him. I was far more open with my emotions, though I did make sure to keep them in check, especially in his presence. Somehow, I felt that he knew, whether I wanted him to or not, and it make me feel rather naked. It wasn't an entirely uncomfortable feeling. Just... odd.

"So, what do you say?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow.

"Say to what?"

"Going to a ski resort."

"Takamori, I've got work to do here, and I can't really trust Matsumoto with all the paperwork."

"Well if we're going then we're going to take Rangiku-chan with us!"

"Take Matsumoto with us?" Hitsugaya scoffed as if that was the most laughable thing on earth. I shrugged.

"I don't see why we can't. I mean, I'm sure you have _someone_ here that you can trust with that paperwork."

"I don't think I do." I frowned. There was a pause in which I briefly wondered if he trusted anyone at all. Then I realized that I was questioning one of the Gotei 13 Captains on whom they trusted, which was completely stupid because they ought not to trust anyone at all, with all they've seen.

"You don't trust easily, do you?" He stiffened at the question, but relaxed again a moment later. He sighed and put down his pen, laying the last piece of paperwork aside.

"No."

It was a nice, simple, and clean answer. But it hurt. Does that mean he didn't trust me either? It made me wonder about who he _did_ trust, and for what reasons. Was Hinamori one of them?

"Then... who _do_ you trust?" I asked. My voice was shaking. I was scared of the answer, scared of what he could say that would add another long crack to the many that scar my heart.

"Not many." He said, not looking at me, but at something beyond me, beyond the present, as if he was looking into the past with those clear eyes.

"Obaa-chan and Hinamori were the only people I trusted when I was young. But then I met Matsumoto... and however annoying, I could trust her with things that I can't trust with anyone else..." his voice trailed off, as if he was remembering the times he had entrusted Matsumoto with something valuable.

So Hinamori _was_ one of the people, along with his Grandma and Matsumoto. That seemed plausible, as those were the only people that gave him any reason to trust them at all. But what about me? Didn't he trust me? I secretly hoped and begged, almost childishly, that he would trust me, even though the events of last night still made me wary of him.

"Ah... I see..."

"...Then I met you." My head snapped up, and I looked at him with wide eyes. What was he saying? Was I really worth...? Was he really mentioning me...?

"At first, I thought you were just another spirit with a problem, and I, as a Shinigami, was to solve it. But then..."

"Then what?" I asked. I was so eager to know. My heart was pumping fast. My memories... maybe they'd come back.

"Then you began to talk to me, and I you. I didn't think much of it first, and ignored the fact that day by day, our acquaintanceship evolved into friendship, and that I was beginning to care for you as a friend." As he spoke memories of those days poured into my mind. Suddenly, I knew what he was talking about, and why he sounded so distance and far off. Those were good memories. Innocent and nice. Just two people, becoming friends with one another, despite their differences.

"When we got to Seireitei and you were officially put under my care, I didn't realize that our relationship had become that of friends, and quite good friends at that. Without knowing it, I let you in on my life, or rather... you came in without me having to ask." A small smile graced his face as he reminisced. I smiled too. I remembered. I remembered stealing his comics and making fun of him because of them. I remembered teasing him about everything, and making him laugh. I remembered so many trivial things that I would have forgotten anyways, even if I didn't have my memory wiped clean.

"Then I found out that I was an Enchantress, right?" I filled in. He looked at me, and nodded.

"I found out that Nii-chan had been lying to me my whole life, and that it was my own powers that had killed me in the end. And you stood up for me. You protected me..." I smiled down at my own hands. It was all coming back now. The blank spots were slowly being filled, and it was satisfying to know that I was finally starting to remember.

"Taichou!" the door burst open to reveal a very out of breath Matsumoto. She was panting, and seems to have shunpo-ed the whole way here.

"What is it?" Hitsugaya had stood up, his whole body was tense and at the ready. I rose to my feet too. What could have happened all of a sudden to make Matsumoto like this? She was usually very laid back, but now, she was tense, and... could it be... frightened? I knew she became serious when time deemed right, but I'd never seen her _like this_ before. Her eyes were wide and her all the muscles in her body seemed to be on edge.

"Hollow. In mass numbers. They're attacking Rukongai!" she and Hitsugaya exchanged a knowing look. All Hitsugaya said was:

"It's begun."

**A/N: Okie doke! And that's that! A HUGE thanks to everyone who reviewed for the last two chapters: **

**_X-CrystalJade-X ,Sexy-Midnight-Fox, I'llxBexUrxEnigma2010 , XCrissCrossX , CRdragonPyro , WinterVines , Aqua4 , Naishou , KurokamiHaruhi , erina destiny , viettvnt , HeadstrongNozomi , MegNCastEo , God-Damned-Dog , KungFu Ninja-Miko , lightlovebunny , Shina no Miko , -Mistress Muguruma Miku- , Death-Key , SweetNightmaresGoodBye , Mai-x_**

**THANK YOU! You guys make my day! And everyone who put me this story on Alert/Favorites I love you guys too. But I'd love you more if each of you just left a review! Thanks again. Now GO! REVIEWWW! ^^**


	4. 03: Give Out

**A/N: Here I am again! Enjoy! **

Figure Three:

Give Out

//Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break ~Jane Wells\\

"Wait a second, what's begun? What is all this?" I asked, rushing up to Hitsugaya and Matsumoto, confusion clear on my face.

"The battle... has begun." Hitsugaya said. I stared at him. What was he saying? What battle? Since when? He's not making sense!

"What battle?" I asked.

"The battle between Shinigami and Espada," answered Matsumoto. I quieted, frowning in concentration. Now that I come to think of it, Hitsugaya did seem to mention something when I was back in the 4th Division about me being kidnapped by the Espada. Did that have anything to do with all of this? If it did. If I had anything to do with the reason why the Espada are now attacking Soul Society, I had to know.

"Do I have... anything to do with this?" I asked timidly. Matsumoto's expression softened as she looked at me. She placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled gently at me.

"They tried to use you." Hitsugaya said before Matsumoto could do anything at all. She stiffened and looked up at him, a slight frown creasing her forehead. Hitsugaya wasn't looking at her, or me, but towards the wall opposite us. He didn't seem to want to look back at us. Something had happened and it involved the Espada and me. That was all I needed to know.

"I see... ok then." I nodded. Hitsugaya and Matsumoto looked confusedly at me.

"I'm going with you."

"What?!"

"No! You're not coming with us! That's ridiculous! You could get hurt, or worse, they could kidnap you again!"

"I don't care! I want to know what happened between the Espada and me. Something must have happened, and I don't remember what it is. I want to remember! I want to know! I want to... stop hurting you." My voice lowered as I looked down at my feet, frowning. I knew. He was hurting, all by himself, and he won't let anyone in. That's so like him, taking all the burden alone.

"Hurting me...?" Hitsugaya asked. I nodded.

"You're not hurting-"

"Yes I am! You think I can't tell? Every time I ask you a question about our past, you flinch. Every time I call you 'Hitsugaya-taichou', you turn away. I know you're hurting. I can see it. I can feel it... because, I'm hurting too... So I'm going with you, and I'm going to find out what happened." I said determinedly, glaring up at the two of them. Hitsugaya looked no less than shocked, but Matsumoto had a sad smile on her face. She took a step forward and put a hand on my shoulder, turning to face Hitsugaya.

"Taichou... why not let her come, we'll both protect her. You know she'll be fine." She said. Hitsugaya took a step towards me as well and sighed.

Suddenly, I was pulled into a tight embrace. I was... surprised to say the least. He's never been this impulsive before, not from what I could remember. He was always, stern and strict, never letting such things as emotions interfere with his judgment and actions. But this time, it was different. Each move he made was so filled with emotion, each word so overpowering, that I felt like I was drowning in all the feelings he was emitting. They shone brightly, like the moon and the sun, and were just as passionate and powerful. It was... him.

"No... I can't. I'm sorry. I can't lose you again. Not again..." he whispered. He closed his eyes, placed a soft kiss on my forehead and in the flutter of his haori, he was gone. The door was shut. I stood there for a moment, stunned. The place where his lips were seconds before burned. My eyes landed on the door and my heart skipped a beat. Shit...

It was locked... from the outside. Or at least that's what it seemed like. I pushed as hard as I could, but it was no use. The door just wouldn't budge. I didn't even know they had locks in Soul Society. The place seemed so old fashioned. Then it dawned on me. Kidou. He'd used kidou and locked me in. My eyes automatically flickered towards the window beside his desk. I hurried over, got onto his desk, and, standing on tiptoe, tried to push it open.

No luck. That was 'locked' too.

"Damn him..."

**-Emergency! Emergency! All Shinigami to their battle stations at once! Emergency! Emergency! All Shinigami to their battle stations at once!-**

I froze at the alarm. I'd heard this alarm once before. Flashes of memories flickered feebly behind my eyes. I closed them, trying to recall what had just appeared. I was sitting in this very room, waiting for Hitsugaya to return when a man with white clothing walked in. He looked familiar. I'd seen him somewhere before. He spoke to me about something... I can't remember. Come on... remember!

He was saying something about "this isn't the real battle, we're just stalling" or something close to that. And then he showed me images. Terrible images of Kyouraku-taichou, Matsumoto-fukutaichou, and Hitsugaya-taichou. All of them were injured and still fighting. At this point, I opened my eyes, horrified. If that was the Espada's definition of 'stalling'. Then what would it be like this time, when the real battle has begun? Would they use full force? And if they did, didn't that mean Seireitei is in extreme danger? These Espada... they're powerful. Even more powerful than the Captains in the Gotei 13. How could they possibly defeat such a formidable enemy?

I had to do something. I had to. I couldn't just sit here again, and wait for someone to come back with the news. That's what I did last time, and I ended up kidnapped anyways. But this time was different, I didn't want to sit and wait anymore. I wanted to _do_ something, and I will.

I stared around the office, looking for a possible way out of this place. Knocking out the wall was out of the question, though it was quite tempting. Hitsugaya would be furious and undoubtedly, he'd make me clean it up by myself. My eyes raked the office. There's _got_ to be a way out of this place. Then, my eyes landed on my door. There was a window in my room. Would Hitsugaya have sealed that with Kidou too? Well, won't know till I check.

Walking over to my door, I opened it and rushed towards the window. It was quite high up on the wall and I had to stand on my nightstand to reach it, but I managed it somehow. I lifted the latch and pushed. With a slight squeak of the hinges, it fell open. I grinned. Success. Hitsugaya must have been in quite the hurry if he'd forgotten about my room. It showed just how dire the situation was. Then again, it's not like I was complaining. Because of his little slip up, I would be able to get out of this stone cage, though I'm not entirely sure it would be all that nice outside.

Bracing myself against the wall, and hooking my hands tightly around the ledge of the window, I jumped up off the nightstand and managed to heave half of myself out of the window. I wiggled a bit, and squeezed myself out. I landed none too gracefully on the ground with a loud thump. A throbbing pain began to form on my back and spine.

"Itaii..." I muttered, getting up and dusting off my backside. Good, now I'm out of there, I had to find wherever the battle was going on. I made my way around the building, which took some time, considering its size. The moment I came clear of the shadow of the building, I had to duck, as something had shot a furious red ball of energy that missed but was much too close for comfort.

Turns out, I didn't have to look far for the battle. It was right outside the door. I stared in complete shock and horror at the scene before me. The division buildings were crumbling, and some were smoking from recent fires. Indeed, some of them were still on fire. Shinigami were fighting left, right, and center, though I didn't spot anyone I know. Still, there were people everywhere, brandishing swords and shouting out Kidou spells. There were no people dressed in white here. Rather, there were many creatures with white masks, jumping around and attacking all the Shinigami. I pressed myself close to the buildings and moved very slowly, for fear of alarming anyone or anything and adding more injuries to those already injured.

It was harder than I thought, this staying out of sight business. I was pretty sure that some Shinigami caught a glimpse of my black dress kimono, but they were all too busy with their battles to care. Just as I thought I'd be able to make it out of the 10th Division grounds alive, I smashed headfirst into something very solid and that reeked of acid. Not daring to run, I looked up, right into the face of a leering masked figure. It was huge. 8 feet tall or more, towering over me like a monstrous statue. Slime oozed from its mouth, dripping onto the ground in front of me and melting away at the tiles.

My body went into total lock-down mode. I couldn't even twitch a finger. I was completely frozen, staring up at this... thing. It stood there for a few seconds, looking down at me, as if wondering how best to kill me. Suddenly, it opened its great maw and roared in my face, but before it could raise its clawed hand and rip my head off, I was pulled away, into the air. I'd closed my eyes, waiting for the monster to pound me, but when I opened them again, I saw nothing more than bright orange hair, fluttering against the sky.

"Mina-chan, you should have stayed in the office like Taichou said. He won't be happy with you," she sounded dead serious, not at all like her usual, cheery self. On finding myself temporarily unable to use my voice, I simply nodded. She didn't say anything, just kept on moving forward towards an unknown destination, undoubtedly somewhere safe, where she can lock me up again, and tell me to wait like a good little girl until the grown-ups come to get me.

When we landed though, I didn't expect to see more people fighting. This time, instead of the black shihakushous flashing back and forth, I saw white haoris. This was _the_ battlefield. And it didn't look at all like the glorious scenes all the fairy-tales had described. In fact, it was the complete opposite. It was terrifying. Blood was everywhere, soaking the ground, and unconscious figures were lying hither and dither, some breathing, others, completely still. There were people in the air, on the ground, flash stepping back and forth. Shouts and cries were only punctuated by the clash of metal on metal and the occasional thump or crash of a body hitting the ground. Explosions were going off and the whole scene was covered by a mist of dust and rubble.

By the time I finished taking in all of this, Matsumoto was again immersed in a fight with a dark-skinned man with blazing red hair. I just stood there, not knowing what to do when someone suddenly charged at me. I didn't even get a chance to see who the attacker was before I was swept off my feet once more. Though this time, the figure that had saved me was much smaller, and had a crop of unruly white hair.

Hitsugaya looked beyond pissed as he set me down on a rooftop, a ways away from the battlefield. He looked a real mess. There were numerous scratches on his face and his clothing was torn, showing various cuts and bruises. His mouth was bleeding and a black eye was blooming spectacularly on his face. He was panting heavily and looked worried, tired and angry.

"I told you to say in the office!"

"Yeah but –"

"Didn't I tell you I won't be able to stand loosing you again? Why are you doing this to me?"

"I'm not! I didn't –"

He sighed and I stopped midsentence, looking at him. For the first time in a long while, he just looked like a regular kid. A kid that's been beaten up by a bunch of bullies and just got home. My heart clenched and on pure instinct, I pulled him in for a hug, tears swimming in my eyes. I held his head and ran my hands through his hair. They were so soft... even when tainted with blood. And he was so warm and comforting. I could still make out his distinct, sharp smell under the metallic odor of blood. He was here, he was still alive...

"I'm sorry... I just... couldn't stand the thought of you getting hurt. I don't know... exactly what happened last time, but I do know that I had something to do with all of this. I wanted to be with you... I wanted to see with my own eyes that you were going to be fine. I –" but he wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled his head tightly into the crook of my neck.

"Thank you..."

I smiled and let go, my hand cupping his face. I searched his eyes. They were soft.

"Please just... stay alive..." I pleaded. He nodded, and with a determined look on his face, jumped off into the battlefield once more.

"For me... "I said, watching from the rooftop as he was immediately jumped on by a group of people in white masks. He seemed to be moving with renewed vigor and speed. Though it didn't seem to do him much good when surrounded by nearly a dozen enemies. All he could do was hold his own; they gave him no chance to attack.

It wasn't long before I was noticed though. Just as I got to my feet, about to go and find a safer place to watch the battle, another masked creature flew at me with alarming speed. On reaction, I jumped aside and watched in a strange mix of amusement and confusion as it crashed right into the place where I had been moments before, driving a hole through the tiling, and falling into the room below.

Well, that certainly was strange... I thought as I climbed down from the roof. Now came the hard part, figuring out where to hide until the battle was over.

I scanned the area. There was nothing that immediately popped out as almost everything was either smoking or crumbling from the current battles.

By nature, there wasn't a lot of greenery in Seireitei, so I couldn't hide in any kind of shrub or tree. All the buildings were either being used as a temporary battle arena or falling into pieces. I didn't have much of a variety to choose from, but I spotted a small nook between two fallen houses. The walls were still partially intact, and it would hide me sufficiently enough.

Crouching as low to the ground as possible, I began to make my way towards the little nook. It was easier said than done. I had to dodge out of the way of oncoming projectiles and whatever other weapons were being hurled around in the air, and more than once, I had to run off completely because something was trying to attack me. When I finally got to my desired hiding place, and wedged myself between the two walls, two more houses had exploded and another one was being crushed by an Arrancar.

I scanned the area, looking for familiar faces, and there were a lot of them. Ukitake-taichou was shunpoing through the air, dancing around a yellow-haired girl, Nanao-fukutaichou was fending off a skinny man with very large teeth, and Soifon-taichou was immersed in an intense battle with a bespectacled man. I saw a flash of orange hair, and spotted Matsumoto, still locked in dead combat with the dark-skinned man. I frowned, trying to find Hitsugaya, but he was nowhere to be found. I gave a sick-humored smile.

Maybe he's too short to be spotted, I thought, trying to suppress an unidentifiable urge to burst out laughing.

"Bankai!"

The sudden command made me jump and look around widely for the source of the scream. Looking up, I found myself staring up at a very familiar scene. Ice wings, enclosing the small form of a boy with snow white hair. It was beautiful, majestic, and terrible. And in a flash, he was gone, appearing a mere half a second later, behind his enemy, who dodged to the right.

The fight continued, and I sat there, mesmerized by the moving figures. They dodged, dashed, and struck with all the gracefulness of a dancer. Watching it made me feel like I was watching something that had been practiced and planned out beforehand. All of the movements were so perfect and precise. No slip-ups were made. But that was to be expected. In a fight like this, one wrong move, and the perpetrator would be run through, or killed in an instant. It was only to be expected.

Still, seeing it all happen like this, in such proximity and clarity, was something that I'd never even dreamed of ever happening.

From a distant corner of my mind, I can only faintly recall sitting in front of a TV with my eyes glued to the screen, watching the figures dance about, lashing out once in a while. It was all so distant back then, but not anymore. I was the one in the middle of the fight now. I was the one that was in, although not immediate, danger. And the moves were real. All of a sudden, the truth of all things hit me like a tidal wave. Everything was so frighteningly real. The blood the screams the piles and piles of dead bodies... Thinking about it made me nauseous so I pushed the grueling thoughts out of my mind. Instead, I tried to remember what it was like back in the world of the living. It all seemed so far away.

What would all of my old friends say if they could see me now? They probably wouldn't even recognize me. I looked so different. I, as a person, have changed, both internally and externally. I've seen and experienced so many more things, that I doubt any _regular_ person could ever dream of. I guess I was never really meant to be what people like to call _normal_. From day one, my life's been on a fixed course, and my introduction to the Shinigami world, was merely a fork in the road I chose to take. I don't know what would have happened if I'd decided to go the other way, and quite frankly, I don't think I care much anymore. I was happy, despite the fact that I had to see all of my closest friends fighting for their lives. I was content, although I was crouched and cramped between two fallen walls, watching the goings-ons, unable to do anything to help.

Somewhere inside me, I knew, that this is where I truly belonged.

"Look out!" I stood up, eyes wide with fear as someone tried to pull a sneak attack on Hitsugaya. He turned just in time to dodge it and shunpo away.

"Ara ara! Lookie what we have here!"

I turned. Damn it... I mentally cursed as I lifted my eyes to meet the bright yellow ones of a pale, fat man. He was completely bald, and had a rather ugly wart on his over large nose. He was leering down at me, bring his fist to his palm, chuckling menacingly. His teeth were pointed, and a sickly blue liquid oozed from them. I had no doubt that they were poisonous.

Crap, this is bad, I thought, biting my lip. Hitsugaya was too tangled up in his own battle to come save me again, and so was Matsumoto. I can't keep relying on people to save me all the time. But my powers were useless here. What could I possibly do?

"Well, don't you look adorable there, chibi-chan? I wonder how much cuter you'd look _screaming in pain_." It lunged. I did the only thing that made any sense at all, and screamed the first thing that came to mind.

"_STOP!_"

Something hot and sticky splattered onto my face. It smelled of iron. I opened my eyes.

A very large hole had appeared right in the middle of the Hollow's chest. It was smoking. I blinked. What? I thought my powers were unusable when I was in Soul Society. Didn't the spirit particles mess with the flow of my magic or something? Or that was what they'd said...

_"But I think, that if you're in great danger, you're powers will respond. I don't know for sure though, it's just a hunch."_

That's right... Urahara had said that when I asked him about my powers. Why didn't I remember till... oh right. I had my memory wiped clean...

The Hollow crumpled in front of me, creating a cloud of rubble. It must have been a small fry to be killed by that one hit. I coughed and looked around. The fighting was coming to an end. There were more bodies than ever, lying on the ground. Some were grotesquely malfigured, others seemed to be just sleeping, but I knew that their insides could be no less contorted and ripped apart as the buildings around me. There were still a few Shinigami, holding on, and continuing to battle. The Hollows were dwindling too. Not nearly as many of them were moving as there was before. But they still had the Shinigami outnumbered two to one.

My heart began to pound. There's _got_ to be something I can do! But _what_?

**A/N: YOU GUYS ROCK. 4 days... and I got 20 reviews! I LOVE you guys. TWENTY FRICKIN REVIEWS! That's a large number of reviews! And here are the ones that made it happen:**

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	5. 04: Wind Up

**A/N: Sorry guys. XD I'm in China right now.... so updating is KINDA hard. But anyways, longer explaination at the bottom. For now, ENJOY! **

Figure Four:

Wind up

//Know when to tune out, if you listen to too much advice, you may wind up making other people's mistakes –Ann Landers\\

I frowned, mind working furiously to think up some plan on aiding the Shinigami. My powers come to me in times of need... so I just have to need it!

But the sound of a body hitting the ground mere feet away broke my train of thoughts. I looked up and, with a gasp of shock, realized who it was. Rukia. Even though we've only exchanged a few words and greetings at dinner and in the hallways near the 13th Division, I had a certain fondness of the girl. Seeing her mangled and torn almost brought tears to my eyes. Her breathing was shallow and blood was trickling from a large cut on her forehead. The Hollow, obviously thinking she was dead, moved onto another target.

I dashed out from my hiding place and rushed over to her. She didn't seem to notice me, what with the amount of pain she must be going through. Kneeling down beside her, I shook her gently. She forced open one eye to see who it was. I don't know if she recognized me or not, but I think that she registered the fact that I was not an enemy.

"Ukitake-taichou... aid... him..." she breathed, lifting a hand and pointing to a spot behind me. I followed the direction in which her finger was pointed and found Ukitake-taichou battling a very large, old man with a beard. He wasn't doing so well either. Blood was gushing from several sever looking wounds on his face and limbs. His clothes were torn, revealing more cuts and abrasions. He was panting, and there was blood trickling from his mouth. With a jolt, I remembered that he once mentioned to me that he had Tuberculosis.

"Help... him..." Rukia's consciousness was waning. I could see it in her eyes. I looked back at Ukitake-taichou.

'Do something. _Do something!_' I thought desperately, squeezing my eyes shut. All the images of my closest friends being beaten up began to flash behind my eyes. I began to feel dizzy and my head was starting to pound. The noises, smells, and sights of battle were all mixing together and becoming one big montage inside my head. It was so overwhelming, I felt like I was going to puke.

"STOP IT!" I screamed, letting go of Rukia and clutching at my own head. And at that moment, something bright erupted from what seemed like the center of my 'being' and flew towards the old man attacking Ukitake-taichou. He froze, staring at whatever the _thing_ is in horror, only to be engulfed in the light. Everyone just seemed to pause and look over at this blinding light. When it finally faded, the old Arrancar was nowhere to be found. Ukitake-taichou was left standing there, breathing heavily. No one moved for at least three seconds before the Arrancar all swarmed together and through a dimensional barrier.

All the Shinigami seemed too stunned to speak. I suddenly felt an incredible tiredness wash over me, and the last thing I remembered was a flash of white and a flutter of green before everything went pitch black.

When I awoke, it was to the now familiar 4th Division ceiling. Everything was quiet. I looked around. There was no one else in the room. I tried to sit up, but found that there was something heavy resting on one of my legs, looking down, I found myself staring at the sleeping form of none other than Hitsugaya Toushirou. A small, gentle smile graced my face as I looked at him. He must have been here for ages, waiting for me to wake up. But my sudden movement seems to have woken him. Cracking open an eye, he looked up at me for a moment before he realized what was going on. Faster than lightening, I found myself once more pressed against his chest, his familiar scent filling me up like drink.

"You're awake..."

"Yeah... I guess so."

"Thank god."

"Hm." I nodded, closing my eyes again, and burying my face in his haori. He let go of me after a short while, holding me at arm's length and inspecting me closely. His eyes flickered over each aspect of my face, and then down the rest of my upper body. It was as if he was trying to find something wrong. I suddenly felt hot under this intense inspection.

"What?" I asked, feeling uncomfortable under his piercing gaze.

"Hn." I narrowed my eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No seriously, what is it?"

"It's nothing, stop asking." A quiet knock on the door made us both look up. I hesitated for a moment before saying 'come in'.

It was a member of the 4th Division, with a cup of some smoking liquid that didn't look too appetizing. The color was that of polluted ocean water, though the substance was definitely thicker and more goo-like. There was a light layer of white-ish, gray-ish film above the liquid that gave me the sense of old age and decay.

"Takamori-san, please drink this. It'll make you feel better." He said, handing me the smoking drink. I looked down at it. The blue-purple content had an exotic, but somewhat pleasant smell to it. Still, I regarded it cautiously.

"Drink it." I looked up to meet Hitsugaya's gaze. There was something there. Something swirling within the depth of those eyes. I let my gaze flicker down to the drink again before bringing the cup up to my lips and taking a sip. It wasn't as bad as I thought, but it was bitter. I crinkled my nose, and forced the rest of the liquid down my throat. I resisted an urge to comment on how disgusting that was and silently handed the cup back to the Shinigami. He bowed slightly, took my cup, and backed out of the room. There was a small silence.

"That was terrible." I said, grabbing the jug of water next to my bed and helping myself to some of it. Hitsugaya didn't say anything, only watched me. I paused in pouring myself some water.

"What? You're looking at me like I have something written across my forehead or something, it's uncomfortable." I squirmed a bit, making myself comfortable against the propped up pillows.

"Gomen..."

"Daijoubu... want some?" I asked, holding the jug out to him while downing my cup in one. He shook his head, but took the jug and placed it back onto my bedside table. I looked around the hospital room. It was small, and nearly empty except for the bed and two chairs that stood next to my bed.

"How long was I out for?" I grabbed the jug and poured myself another glass. My mouth was unbelievably dry and my tongue felt numb, as if I hadn't used it in a long time.

"A week." I almost spat out the water in my mouth. Managing to gulp it down, I stared at him incredulously.

"_A week?! _What?!" I sputtered frantically. I was unconscious for _that long_? Goddamn it. He just nodded. Suddenly, I realized what this must mean. The battle was over. It must have been for quite a while now.

"Then... who won?" I asked cautiously. Hitsugaya sighed, as if he knew I would ask this question sooner or later, and by his response, I gather he hoped for the latter.

"No one," he answered. I cocked an eyebrow. Was he doing this on purpose just to confuse me? Or did he really not want to talk about it?

"What do you mean, 'no one'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like: No one." He repeated. I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"You're a royal pain, you know that? Would it take that much to just _explain_ rather than having me bug you until you give me an answer I can understand?" He frowned at me, but stayed silent.

I felt anger, hurt, and jealousy flood my body. I slammed the cup on the bedside table and glared at him, adrenaline pumping through my system. Maybe it's just all the emotions from witnessing a battle so close, and then passing out for a week. Maybe it's because I was confused and just wanted an explanation. But I was pissed, and I didn't know why. Goddamn him, acting all cool all the time, thinking he's so much better than everyone else. He seemed startled at my sudden action.

"You never tell me anything! Nothing! And you expect me to just be quiet, and not ask about. Well, _news flash_, Hitsugaya Toushirou: _I'm not like that_. I'm sorry. I'm just not. I'm nosy, and I like to know what's going on, especially when it concerns me. It was because my brother acted exactly the way you're acting right now that I died in the first place. What happened to me deserving to know things I'm involved in? Isn't that why you got angry at my brother in the first place? What happened to all of that? What happened to all the trusting shit? Were those all lies too? You know what? I'm through with this. I'm done. I'm leaving." And with that, I threw the covers back and jumped out of bed. The moment my feet touched the ground however, my head started spinning and the world went completely out of control. Colors were swirling everywhere and my eyes close on instinct. I swayed on the spot, and threatened to tip right over.

An arm shot out and caught me before I hit the ground. I kept my eyes shut till I was sure I wasn't going to fall, but when I opened them again, it was to see Hitsugaya staring down at me with a pained expression. He didn't look angry that I'd just screamed at him, nor did he look like he caught any part of what I said. Gently, he placed me back on my feet and took a few steps back. Although subtlety, I noticed that he'd grown taller that I remembered him to be. His silence irritated me more than I could imagine. I felt my anger flare once more. Hormones must be on a rampage today... making me so emotionally unstable, not that I usually wasn't like this anyways. Today was just... a bad start.

"Say something, damnit!" I said, feeling the tears well up again. "Say something! Don't give me the silent treatment! _TALK!_"

"I'm sorry." I froze, turned, and looked at him.

"I'm sorry," he said again, sighing and shaking his head. I frowned, confused. Why's he acting so weird? What exactly had happened in these few days that I've been unconscious? Something drastic? Certainly, it wasn't something very small, considering Hitsugaya's sudden change in attitude.

"About what?"

"Everything... dragging you into this mess." He sat down in one of the chairs and buried his face in his hands.

"...Toushirou...?" He lifted his gaze to match mine. I sat down on the side of the bed, all former anger and emotion gone, replaced by confusion and, was it possible, earning?

"What are you saying?" I raised my hand and touched his face uncertainly. He put his hand over mine, and I realized with a shock that they were shaking. It was the first time I've seen him like this. He looked so lost and desperate. I knew it wasn't the first time that he's been stripped of his usual mask, but never, _ever_ had I ever seen him so... dare I say it... delicate before.

"Toushirou?" I asked again. He looked like he was slipping away, right before my eyes. I watched him as he took my hand in his and ran his fingers over mine. His eyes were glazed, and his breathing irregular.

"Toushirou... you're scaring me." He paused.

"Sorry."

"Stop saying that! Stop it! What's going on?! Just tell me. I can take it, I promise I won't get angry or anything." I pleaded. He was really starting to scare me now. This wasn't the Hitsugaya Toushirou I knew. This was an empty shell of a Hitsugaya Toushirou that I knew, and I wanted the old one back. The one question as to 'What exactly happened to make him like this?' still ringing in my head.

"C'mon. I'll show you." His voice was flat and empty, like he really wasn't talking at all, just making sounds. By my hand, he led me out of my ward and down the halls. They were bustling with people, as to be expected, even a week after the battle was over. I shivered. The ground was cold against my feet and I wasn't wearing anything other than my hospital gown.

"Show me what?" I asked, hurrying to stay in step with him. Worried doesn't even describe how I feel anymore. I've never seen him act like this before. It was frightening to say the least. And not to mention very worrisome. My feet were beginning to feel numb from the icy cold tiles along the floor but I made no noise of discomfort. I held it in. Whatever it was, I was sure, would be nothing compared to what Hitsugaya was feeling at the moment.

"Sh..." he said gently, tugging me along. We soon came to another door, outside which he turned to face me, a glum expression on his face. He took a deep breath before beginning to speak, more to calm himself than anyone else.

"Minako, what you're about to see might... no, _is_... going to be painful. Try to keep calm, alright? I'll be right here with you." Then, he pushed open the door to the room. Heart pounding in my chest, I followed him through, into the room.

It was the casualties.

Time seems to have frozen as I looked upon the hundreds that have died. Familiar faces popped out at me as my eyes automatically scanned the room. With a jolt, I realized that most of the Taichou and Fukutaichou had survived, but only _most_. On an altar, at the far end of the room, in between a crowd of mourning people, I could faintly make out Soi Fon-taichou and Ise Nanao-fukutaichou. Kyouraku-taichou was standing there with his face buried in his hands. I couldn't tell if he was crying or not, but my vision quickly blurred with the flood of tears spilling over onto my cheek.

Instinctively, I reached for Hitsugaya. He put an arm around my waist and together, we walked to the altar. There were many 2nd Division members there. I'd noticed that Oumaeda-fukutaichou wasn't there among the mourners. Maybe he's being treated, I thought, hoping. Shifting my gaze to Soi Fon-taichou, I couldn't help but let out a small sob. We were never really close, but we both had one thing in common: a fondness of Yoruichi-san. Although her fondness seemed to be more of an obsession than anything else, it was still something we shared. Just as I began to wonder why Yoruichi wasn't here, the door of the ward burst open, and standing there was none other than the Queen of Flash Step herself. She seemed quite out of breath for someone who holds such a title, but nothing else seemed to matter to her right now other than one of her most beloved and trusted subordinates.

"Soi Fon!" Yoruichi was by her stand in less than the blink of an eye. Her eyes were wide, and there was nothing less than desperation on her face as she looked down at Soi Fon's body. Her pain was so apparent it seemed to be contagious. I felt the familiar constricting feeling in my heart and clutched at my chest, as if wishing I could rip the organ from my body to avoid feeling such pain and suffering. I bit my lip to hold back a sob. Tears were already trickling down my face and dripping down my chin. Hitsugaya raised a hand to wipe a few of them away. I noticed that his own eyes were hard set and empty. He was holding it in. I could tell.

"Yoruichi-sama, we know you're upset, but please, restrain yourself," one of the 4th Division members said, as politely as he could manage.

Falling to her knees, Yoruichi reached out and touched Soi Fon-taichou's face. She seemed to be unwilling to believe what was plain before her eyes. I couldn't stand to watch anymore. Burying my face in Hitsugaya's shoulder, I let the tears flow free. He stroked my hair and patted my back, doing anything possible to make me feel better.

Why? Why did it have to end up like this? I wondered, clutching at Hitsugaya's haori. As he murmured soft words of comfort into my ear, I began to realize something. This was war. And as much as I hated it, there was close to nothing I could do about it. People die in wars, no matter what the fables and fairytales say. There was no glory, no triumph, just hatred and bloodshed and pain. Thinking that all the 'good guys' would survive would the tantamount to saying that no one good ever dies. And that's just a childhood fantasy that parents feed to their children to protect them from the sorrows of the world. But I'm not a child anymore. There was no one here to tell me that 'everything will be alright' anymore. Although Hitsugaya was trying his best to fill that position, he's not my mother, or my father. True, I loved him, but he couldn't protect me from everything, however much he tries. I had to learn to accept these things. It's hard, yes, and I realize that, but I _have_ to. There was no other choice.

I can't keep continue to believe that the comfort of someone's arms means that everything's ok, and that nothing can touch me. I can't, because that's not true. This was the truth of the world, and as harsh as it is, as much as I'd rather not believe it, I'd have to accept it. Simply and plainly, without any complaints. This was the truth.

"Toushirou..."

"Hai?"

"Can... I go and visit Ukitake-taichou and Rangiku-chan?" I asked, my face still in his shoulder, voice muffled by his clothes. He nodded and led me away from the altar and the room back out of the room full of the dead and their mourners. I lifted my head and wiped away the tears still clinging to my eyes and cheeks. How were they? Remembering the image of Ukitake-taichou as I last saw him wasn't entirely comforting. He'd been covered in blood then, and he didn't seem to be doing too well. I hope he's alright. Please don't let anything to have happened to him.

"How is Rangiku-chan?" I asked, as we approached her door. Hitsugaya was silent for a moment before he replied.

"Better."

And that was the last thing he said before he pushed open the door to her ward and led me inside. Matsumoto Rangiku was indeed doing better than I expected. She was sitting up in bed, a little bruised and bandaged of course, but she was smiling. It widened even more as she looked up to see me and Hitsugaya enter the room.

"Taichou! Mina-chan! You're awake!" she said. I let out a small laugh and hurried to her side, giving her a hug. She was so warm.

"Oh I was so worried! You were out for a whole week, you know?" she asked, letting go of me and inspecting me at arm's length. I nodded, smiling widely down at her.

"Yeah... how are you?" I asked, scanning over the numerous bandages along her face and neck. With a familiar surge of energy, my chest constricted, cutting off my breathing for a moment as I looked at one of my best friends in all of Seireitei, sitting here, hurt.

"Oh I'm perfectly fine!" she said, with an unconvincing smile. I lowered my eyes to my hands and shook my head.

"No, of course you're not. Look at you. I've never seen you in a worse state. Everyone... is so... hurt and there are so many that... died..." At this, the tears started again.

"Soi Fon-taichou and Nanao-fukutaichou. Kyouraku-taichou was so upset, and Yoruichi-san's... devastated. And...I have a feeling that this all has something to do with me. Even though I don't remember doing anything, I feel guilty when I look at the injured and the dead." I paused, sniffling. "Please... tell me what happened. I want to know. I can handle it... please..."

Hitsugaya put a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up at him. He had a morose expression on his face.

"Are you sure... you want to know?"

I nodded. I was positive. He heaved a sigh, sat down beside me and began to tell me everything that happened after I was kidnapped by the Espada. I sat there, in stunned silence as I found out how I'd been controlled and how I'd fought Hitsugaya when he finally found me. It seemed like what happened after the fight was too painful for him to say because he promptly stopped talking and didn't start again until Matsumoto nudged him with her foot. I looked at her confusedly, but she shook her head, signaling for me to be quiet for now.

"And that's it..." he finally finished. I frowned. Somehow, it didn't seem to connect. The Espada wanted my powers, I already knew that, but why would they want to destroy Soul Society? When I asked, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto exchanged knowing looks before Matsumoto nodded, egging him on.

"We think, actually, we know, that Aizen is after the King's Key. The key that unlocks the gate to where the King of Soul Society lives. Yes, there is a king," he answered before I could even ask. "Although the King doesn't seem to exist, he has sole power over all of Soul Society. We, as the Gotei 13, protect Soul Society under his orders. The location of this key is passed down verbally from one Soutaichou to another, and there is no written record of it anywhere in all of Soul Society. However, there _are_ written records on how to _create_ another key. Aizen is looking to create another key, so he can get into the King's realm, and possibly..."

"Murder the King," Matsumoto finished for him. She sounded more serious than I've ever heard her sound in all the time I've known her, and she looked no less serious than she sounded. The effect was quite frightening.

"And keep in mind. Mina-chan, that this is top secret information. The only other beings that know of it other than the Gotei 13 are Kurosaki-kun and his friends. So please... keep this to yourself. We're telling you because we think that you have something to do with it, and... because we trust you, and don't want you to get hurt," Matsumoto said. I nodded fervently.

"Not a word to anyone," I promised. Hitsugaya nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"So," I said, trying to get everything straightened out in my head "Aizen wanted me, so that he could use my powers to destroy Soul Society and get to the King?"

"No. We think, that Aizen was planning to use your powers to destroy Karakura Town. Because in the instructions on how to create a new key, it requires a place with a plentiful amount of souls with high spirit energy, but is small and compact. There seems to be no other place in the world, as of right now, that fit the description better than Karakura Town," Hitsugaya said. My breath hitched in my throat. Karakura town. The place where my friends and family still lived. Although I haven't seen them in a couple of years, they still meant more to me than I could ever say.

"No... no... I don't want them to die..." I said.

"Yes, we know, and neither do we. That's why all of were preparing for this war..." Hitsugaya said.

"... and I think... it's safe to say that... we've won... at least for now..." Matsumoto said. Hitsugaya nodded.

"Aizen isn't dead though, and neither is most of the Espada. Knowing them, they'll be planning their next move, even as we speak. That's why we have no time to waste. We've got to train harder than before, and make sure that next time... we take them all out..." there was such hatred and suffering in Hitsugaya's voice, and the look in his eyes... They were colder than ice.

Colder than I've ever seen them to be.

**A/N: Yeah, sorry about that. I'm on vacay right now... in China, with a friend called Carmelle. XD Yeah. So if you want to find out about the updating, email ME, not KungFuNinja-Miko. XD Kay? She has other stuff to worry about. **

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	6. 05: Buckle

**A/N: I'm BACKK! From China. AND I'm almost finished with the epilogue so expect more updates more often!XD Without any further ado.... ENJOY! **

Figure Five:

Buckle

//A buckle is a great addition to an old shoe –Henry Ward Beecher\\

For the next week or so, I tried to help out as much as I can around the 4th Division. It's been two whole seeks since the battle, and bodies are still being found around Seireitei. Reconstruction was going on everywhere, and people were always bustling around. Workload has increased tenfold for those Captains that were alive, and Soutaichou has yet to choose replacements for Soifon-taichou and Nanao-fukutaichou. It was a bit odd when I thought about it. He hadn't thought up replacements for the other missing Taichou spots either. But Shinigami reasoning was far beyond my own, so I didn't even want to try and fathom the depths of that old man's judgment.

I hadn't seen Kyouraku-taichou since the altar, and I was growing more and more anxious by the day. Ukitake-taichou was a lot quieter than usual too. I think that the recent battle had weakened him even more than he was, and I worried for his well-being. I'd gone to visit him a few times, but most of the time, he was asleep. On the occasions when he was actually awake, the conversations had been short, and provided close to no information on Kyouraku-taichou, or his own health. He refused to let me know more than the fact that 'We're fine! Really! You just need to worry about yourself and Hitsugaya-taichou.'

I tried asking Hitsugaya about it too, but so far as I know, he hasn't seen Kyouraku-taichou around either. Matsumoto says the same thing. I felt so out of the loop that I didn't even know there was a loop. It was happening again. No one was telling me anything, and I was just expected to sit there and take it. Well, there was nothing I could do this time. I couldn't yell and scream at all the Captains of the Gotei 13. By all normal standards, they ought to not have even let me stay for this long. The fact that they did was already stretching the limits. On top of that, they'd let me attend several of their meetings, and they have now confided in me their speculations on Aizen's next move. I should feel privileged, but instead, I felt burdened. I _knew_ I had something to do with all this. I _knew_ I did. But what?

There seemed to be a dim air surrounding everything, keeping everyone down and to their jobs. Seireitei seemed quieter, despite the amount of noise everywhere, what with people shouting orders, and the like. It seemed emptier, although people were constantly on the move, shunpo-ing here and there, moving things. It was just... different. I didn't like it.

"Ah... it's finally lunchtime!" I was _pooped_. I'd been running around the 4th Division all day, bringing medical supplies, and helping tend to the wounded. It made no logical sense. Some of the wounds that should have healed by now, are still bleeding fresh. The Investigation Department is going crazy, researching, trying to find a cure for all this. For the time being, 2nd Division has currently been taken over by their 3rd seat, who's name I can't recall at the moment, and 10th Division has so _kindly_ taken over the paperwork of their division. Hitsugaya was really too nice for his own good. Really.

What I didn't expect was for Matsumoto to be working just as hard as Hitsugaya. She was actually doing her share of the paperwork, and, to my surprise, was more efficient than I thought. I guess she _can_ get work done if she put her mind to it. I hadn't seen them since morning, when I woke up, and quite frankly, I was looking forward to having lunch with them. This thought in mind, I skipped cheerily into the lunch hall. Glancing around, I found them sitting at their usual places at the 10th Division table, food already in front of them.

I hurried over, plopping down next to Hitsugaya.

"Hey!"

"Konnichiwa." Hitsugaya greeted, looking up from his food.

"Konnichiwa, Minako-chan!" sang Matsumoto, grinning through a bite of unagi.

"Konnichiwa, Toushirou-san, Rangiku-chan." I was about to call Hitsugaya 'Toushirou' but decided against it. I don't know why, but the small gaps in my memory still made me feel uncomfortable. It still felt like there was something missing. Something _big_, that I need to know before I could fully understand our relationship as if was before. Sure I always called him by just his given name when it was just the two of us, but when in public, and given the circumstances, I thought adding an honorific would be proper. As it stands, I'm still unsure about how he felt at this point, and my own feelings were tangled as they are. On top of that, there were the restrictions. The rules. The strict 'guidelines' that Yamamoto-soutaichou so stubbornly stands by. No Captain – non-shinigami relationships allowed. Actually, it was more like no Captain relationships at all, period. Apparently, emotions evoke weakness, which affects their decision-making during battle.

I wouldn't admit it for my life, but it was true. For example, I would gladly sacrifice 100 unknown people if it meant keeping my friends alive. But for a Captain, that wasn't allowed. Every life mattered, as it should be. Personal relations just make things more complicated. You must have no ties. No feelings.

I don't understand how they could ask of this of a human being, or what is the spirit of a human being. It's natural for the mind and heart to love, to hate, to feel kindness, and anger. It's only natural for one to develop bonds of friendship and love over time. But being a Captain and even a Vice means having that privilege of being _human_ taken away.

'_With power comes possibilities, but in exchange for that power, there has to be sacrifice.'_

That's what Hitsugaya told me when I asked him about this 'no feelings allowed' rule. The sacrifice for being a Captain and having this awesome power and control, is to give up all human feelings and to submit completely to the orders and ways of the Gotei 13. I found that stupid. I didn't tell him that of course, but I was thinking it, and for some reason, I felt that he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"How's the paperwork going?" I asked, filling my plate with food and digging in.

Matsumoto groaned. "Terrible."

"Is it really that bad?" I looked at Hitsugaya. He paused in taking a bite of vegetable and gave me a look.

"Would you like to try?" his voice was perfectly flat and calm, but I caught the sarcastic and daring edge to it. I grinned sweetly.

"No thanks, Taichou. I think I'll stick with helping the 4th Division. It's good exercise, I think I've lost a few pounds."

"Really?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Are you implying something?"

"Iie, betsuni."

"Liar." He raised an eyebrow, daring me to go on. "You liar," I said, smirking.

"And what evidence do you have to back that up?" he challenged.

"I..." my mind whirled furiously, trying to think up a snarky comeback, but he had me cornered. Huffing angrily, I returned to my meal. He stared at me for a few moments before he began to laugh. I looked up, surprised. It's not every day you hear the oh-so-serious Captain Grumpypants laugh.

"Don't make a contradiction without backup evidence, Takamori," he said.

"Thanks for the lesson, Hitsugaya_-taichou_," I replied, somewhat acidly. He only chuckled and went on eating. The rest of lunch went by faster than I thought it would, along with light conversations, and some good-natured bantering. Sooner than I would have liked, I was back to bustling about the 4th Division, which I had memorized better than the back of my hand.

Hitsugaya and Matsumoto had both gone back to the 10th Division to work on that _evil_ paperwork. It wasn't until I spotted a certain, pink-clad Captain walking passed the 4th Divison grounds that I paused in my endless train of errands.

"Kyouraku-taichou!"

He paused and turned towards me. I hurried over to him. I huge smile on my face. I didn't realize it until now, but I missed the laid back, fatherly man more than I thought I would.

"O-hisashiburi desu ne?"

"Hisashiburi, hisashiburi." He smiled gently, and patted my head. I grinned. It was all so nostalgic.

"So, what have you been up to?" I asked as he began to walk. He shrugged, clearly trying to avoid the subject. I waited patiently, shifting the pile of bed sheets in my arms.

"You know, this and that..." he said vaguely. I stayed quiet, waiting. He paused and looked down at me. It was a different kind of look than the ones he usually gave. He actually looked serious. I knew he was a mastermind underneath that carefree alcoholic mask, but he'd never actually pulled it on me before. This was the first time, and it was scary. I was used to laughing, joking Kyouraku-taichou, as opposed to this new Kyouraku-taichou that was quiet and avoided the subject.

"How are you doing?" It seemed like a perfectly normal question, but I knew that he understood what I was trying to ask. He looked at me for a moment, as if sizing me up. Wondering what to say, or how much to say.

"Well... I've been better..."

"Yeah... I think we've all been better than we are now. But hey, almost everyone else is alive. I mean, I'm _really_ sorry about Nanao-fukutaichou..." I paused. The moment Nanao-fukutaichou's name left my mouth, I saw his face fall. But then, it hit me.

"You love her."

It was a statement, not a question. He looked at me. It wasn't a look of surprise, but of realization, and contentment. As if I'd said the thing that he himself had been trying to tell himself, but wasn't able to accept it.

Silence. He looked down at his hands, then up at me again. I just smiled. He reciprocated it. He raised a hand and patted my head firmly. I felt the warmth from his large, calloused hand spread from the top of my head down my body, all the way to my toes. It was such a nice feeling.

"You're a smart kid. Maybe you should consider joining the Academy and becoming a Shinigami," he said. I shrugged, laughing good-naturedly. For some reason, the air had changed. It was lighter, and more bearable than before. The old Kyouraku-taichou was here again.

"Hm... that's an interesting idea. Maybe..." I thought about it. Being in the Gotei 13, working with the people I love, getting to know about _their_ world, and seeing it all in action. That was a tempting idea. But first, I'd have to finish at Ximax. Although my powers are near useless here, they still _could_ be of some use in the human world, whenever I go there. The flow of spirit particles here makes it difficult for me to use magic, and I'm not even sure if I have enough reiatsu to qualify as a student at the Academy. So many things were still unstable, and I was still unsure of what the future is going to be. For now though, I could consider that idea.

"It could mean... forever and a day with Hitsugaya-taichou," he whispered. I blushed furiously, lowering my head so that he couldn't see the rapidly rising colors in my face. Everything suddenly felt hot, and uncomfortable. I couldn't help a shy grin creeping onto my face. I bit my lip.

"Y-yeah..."

He laughed, ruffling my hair and patting it down again.

"That's only if you get placed in the 10th Division, but I'm pretty sure that if you _did_ graduate, Hitsugaya-taichou would recruit you immediately. He wouldn't be able to stand it without you by his side every moment of the day." I blushed again. Yeah, right. Like that was really true. It would be the other way around. It was _me_ that needed to see him. It was _me_ that would apply and make sure I get into the 10th Division. And it would be _me_ working my ass off just to impress him.

"Right," I said, but he caught the sarcastic tone.

"Take it from me, Takamori-chan. He cares about you. I've never seen him act as he does around you, with anyone else, not even Hinamori. Ukitake-taichou and I have been suspecting for some time now, that he's slowly falling in love with you. You just have to believe it yourself."

"But... I don't really know how he feels about me. I think... I know how I feel about him..." I sighed. "I'm just... confused..."

"About what?" I whipped around. And there he was. Leaning against the side of a building. Hitsugaya Toushirou.

"N-nothing!" I squeaked, turning around before he could see my face, which was still considerably red from all this talk about... feelings and such. I had a nasty feeling that he'd heard everything we were talking about, but I didn't have any way to confirm it. Knowing him, he probably won't admit that he was eavesdropping for his life.

"Kyouraku-taichou. O-hisashiburi," Hitsugaya greeted, making his over to us.

"Hisashiburi, Hitsugaya-taichou. And how have you been fairing?"

"Fine. Paperwork. Matsumoto's actually being productive. And you?" there was a knowing edge to his voice. I stepped back, fading from the conversation, hoping they wouldn't notice if I just sneaked away quietly, but no such luck. Just as I was about run off, Hitsugaya stopped me.

"Where are you going?"

"To deliver these. Unohana-taichou told me to do them ages ago, but I got caught up in talking to Kyouraku-taichou and all. I really have to be going -" Hitsugaya walked over to me, and took half the bed sheets off my hands before heading off towards the other end of the 4th Division. I stared after him, shocked.

"What are you doing? We don't have all day you know. I thought Unohana-taichou told you to get them done quickly," he called over his shoulder. Shaking my head as if to get rid of a fly, I jogged to catch up with him. I smiled to myself. This guy... you never know with him.

For a while, we walked in comfortable silence, neither saying anything about the conversation that we _both_ know he overheard. But as we walked, I began to think about everything that I could remember, which, by now, was a great deal more than before. I could remember the times Hitsugaya and I spent together in the human world, and some parts of being in Hueco Mundo, though I don't remember anything about getting back to Seireitei. From what Matsumoto told me, there had been a fight, though she didn't go into great detail, and Hitsugaya had refused, point blank, to tell me anything about that incident, even after I bugged him for an hour on a Sunday morning, which is when he had the most time to himself. Generally, he took Sunday mornings off, to have some tea and such.

"Ne, Toushirou-san... did I hurt you when we fought in Hueco Mundo?" I tried to make it sound like flyaway question, something that didn't matter greatly, but I don't think I managed to pull it off the way I wanted. He didn't reply, only scowled.

I sighed. It looks like asking him really is useless. I'd have to remember for myself, though I currently had no clue of how to do that. When I did though, I had a feeling that everything would make sense, more than it does now, at least. It was like I was missing the final piece to a puzzle, and I had no way of seeing what the complete image was without that piece. It was the vital piece, the last piece... and I still couldn't find it.

"Does it hurt for you to talk about?" I asked. He stayed silent for a moment before giving a swift nod. I almost missed it, but knowing that he was willing to admit a weakness as this to me was comforting. It proved that he trusted me to a degree. I almost smiled, but caught myself.

"It'll be ok once I remember, right?"

"Hn. Maybe."

I nodded, trying to assure myself more than anyone else. I didn't think I'd be able to stand much more of this limbo-state. I kept telling myself that sooner or later, things will be fine, and I'll be able to remember everything. I'll remember it soon...

'_I love you'_

I froze, eyes wide. Hitsugaya paused and looked back. The previous frown on his face was now replaced with a genuine look of concern.

"What is it?"

"I... just..."

"Are you alright?" He turned around and walked towards me. Inspecting me closely, he frowned. "Aren't you feeling well? Did you catching something in the 4th Division?"

I shook my head, trying to clear it enough to function correctly.

"No no... I'm fine. Just a bit... er... tired I guess," I said, making things up off the top of my head. In truth, I felt no tiredness whatsoever, just confusion at the phrase that had popped up in my head. He'd said it. I know he had. But... was it a dream?

"Here." Hitsugaya proceeded to take all the sheets from my arms, and before I could protest he had shunpo-ed off. In a mere few seconds though, he was back by my side, leading me to the ever so familiar 10th Division grounds.

"I'll speak to Unohana-taichou about it. You need rest." He opened the door to his office and ushered me into my room. Upon entering, I immediately felt sleepy. It made no sense. It was only a little passed noon, and yet I felt tired. Maybe running around 4th Division really did take its toll on me. A nap seemed like such a good idea right now.

"Erm... I don't think sleeping in here is such a good idea. You probably won't be able to wake me up. I'll just have a little nap on the couch. That way, you can wake me up in half an hour. A little rest is all I need, nothing big," I said, walking out the door again. He followed me through, looking anxious.

"Are you sure?" I nodded, forcing a smile. I slumped down on the couch and closed my eyes. I heard him sit down at his desk, and the sound of his pen scratching against the paper. It calmed me more than anything to know that he was sitting right there with me. I let a small smile slip onto my face before I let go of all conscious thought and fell into the ever-inviting arms of sleep.

_Snow. White. Pure white snow, falling gently, and steadily from the gray sky. It was... beautiful. _

"_I love you." The murmur was soft, but definite. I heard it, as sure as I could see the never-ending snow. _

"_Toushirou?" I called. I stepped forward, looking around, trying to find the source of the voice. It was his voice. I was sure of that now. _

"_I... love... you..." the snow echoed each word. Suddenly, everything didn't seem so beautiful, but rather eerie. The light was beginning to fade, and my vision was blackening. Frantically, I called out his name again, reaching out, searching... _

"_Toushirou!" _

"Minako! Wake up! I'm right here!" I shot up, gasping, looking around. Hitsugaya was sitting on the sofa next to me, a worried look on his face. I could feel cold sweat sticking my hair to my face. I was panting slightly, and everything was too hot to be normal.

"Toushirou..." I looked at him. He reached over and put a hand on my forehead. It was cold. I shuddered. He retrieved his hand, frowning worse than before.

"You're sick." He said. I shook my head, laying back down again.

"No I'm not. I'm just a bit tired. Not sick." I said determinedly. He scowled down at me, placing his hand on my cheek.

"Even if I'm an ice Shinigami, you're too warm to be normal. Wait here, I'll find the thermometer." He said, sliding off the couch and going to search for the thermometer. A few moments later, he returned with it. Obediently opening my mouth, he placed the tip under my tongue. I clamped my mouth shut. Rolling my eyes as if to say it's a mote point, I sighed.

"You're sick. 102°," he said, checking the temperature. I groaned, trying to push my way off of the sofa, but Hitsugaya pinned me down.

"No. You're _not_ going anywhere until you're better." There was a note of finality in his voice that the usual me would have known better than to disobey. But right now, I just wanted to be up and about. Lying here and doing nothing was agitating beyond belief for me.

"Why? I don't _feel_ sick. I'm perfectly fine-" I tried once more to push his hands off me, but to no avail. He was much too strong for me.

"You are _not_." No matter how hard I struggled, his iron grip kept me clamped to the sofa. I glared at him and stopped squirming. He didn't loosen his grip like I thought he would. I mentally cursed. Damn. This boy knew me way too well. I'd once thought the same thing when we'd just met, back in the human world, what seemed to be ages ago. He could read me like an opened book, and that hasn't changed. One of the many things I loved about him.

"You are going to stay _right here_ until I say otherwise. That's an order," he said. I rolled my eyes again and glared in the opposite direction. It's not fair. I didn't feel sick at all. So what if my temperature's a little high. Everyone gets sick once in a while. I don't need to be babied liked this. I can still function. Somewhat.

"Fine," I said shortly, and closed my eyes, ignoring him. His grip loosened slightly, but he didn't remove his hands completely.

"Stupid girl..." he got up and sat back down behind his desk. I cracked an eye open and looked at him. He was staring intensely at his paperwork, deliberately bringing the brush through its smooth strokes. He didn't seem to notice.

"If you're going to keep staring at me like that, you might as well do it with both eyes," he said, not looking up from his paperwork. I blushed and squeezed my eyes shut again. Bastard...

"Hmph."

He laughed. I buried my face in the blanket and grinned. He was laughing again.

_Natsukashii na... Toushirou..._

**A/N: Ok, again, apologies for not updating sooner. China was kinda.... yeah.... and I had jetlag and stuff happened... Well anyways! I'm back now and I am happy to announce that I am very nearly finished with the epilogue of this story. After which I will start working on my NEXT big story. Details of which will come sooner than you think. -wink-**

**Well, 18 reviews! Thanks everyone! XD Here are the ones that made my day: **

**Jibun no Omoi, NinjaLadyHinata, Mai-x, Hikari6007, I'llxBexUrxEnigma2010, Sexy-Midnight-Fox, HeadstrongNozomi, KurokamiHaruhi, IkuXYori, CRdragonPyro, Sweet Nightmare's Good Byes, icedragon205, Aqua4, erina destiny, WinterVines, Jasper's Calming Nature, viettvnt, AkatsukiKandaFangirl**

**A HUGE thank you to EVERYONE up there, and to everyone that put me on fav/alert. You guys are awesome. You're the reason I keep on writing. Thank you all again. Now go and REVIEW and make my day! I promise I'll update real soon! THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE. **

**I LOVE YOU ALL! **


	7. 06: Replace

**A/N: Sorry for the late post everyone! I'll explain at the bottom! For now... ENJOY! **

Figure Six:

Replace

//Words are a wonderful form of communication, but they will never replace kisses and punches. –Ashleigh Brilliant\\

Time was flying by faster than Yoruichi while flashstepping, and before I knew it, I was standing at the station with my suitcase packed, and Hitsugaya and Matsumoto standing beside me. The last few weeks of vacation had been a total bliss. Hitsugaya and I had been able to work around the gap in my memory, and are now fairly close. Hinamori Momo and I were on better, if not still a little awkward, terms. We were still cautious around each other, watching, making sure that we ourselves didn't do anything rash while in the other's presence.

I turned my head left and right, trying to find my friends. The pistons blew once, and I still haven't found them. Sighing in defeat, I turned back to Hitsugaya and Matsumoto.

"Guess I'll see you guys soon," I said, looking up at the two of them. I now _really_ needed to look _up_ at Hitsugaya. He had grown taller than last we stood in this spot. I briefly wondered how tall he'll be when I get back from my last year at Ximax. Having been hidden away from the enchanted world for most of my life, I'd missed out on a good few years of education, and only caught the last three years. This was the third, and final year I'll be going to Ximax. It seemed too short, and it was. Instead of the traditional six years, I'd only gotten half, but I was getting along.

Felix and Abigail were already talking about future jobs and such at the end of last year. So far, they're the only ones who knew that I was a spirit, from what Matsumoto and Hitsugaya told me about my little trip with the Espada, and their rescue mission. I still didn't know how to act around them, and was hesitant to see them, however much I missed them.

"Yeah. Stay safe," Hitsugaya said. His eyes told me the things that he didn't say. The things that he really didn't need to say.

"Write lots, Mina-chan!" Matsumoto engulfed me in another one of her backbone-breaking hugs. I patted her back as best I can, with the lack of oxygen.

"I will, I will. And keep me updated on what goes on in Seireitei, kay?" I said, when she finally let go.

"Of course!" She grinned widely, her plentiful bosoms bouncing merrily.

"Bye Toushirou," I said, turning back to him. We stared at each other for a moment before I smiled and turned away. Before I could take a step, I felt a pair of arms latch around my waist, pulling me back flush against his chest.

"Bye... baka..." he whispered, resting his chin on my shoulder. I smiled and nodded. The second pistons blew and he let go, somewhat reluctantly. I turned around, stood up on my tiptoe and planted a small kiss on his cheek before turning and dashing off towards the ship. Reaching the deck, I looked at the platform, instantly spotting Hitsugaya's hair. Smiling widely, I waved. I saw him raise a hand, though I could have sworn I saw him blush, while Matsumoto waved furiously, bouncing up and down. I giggled. They were such an interesting pair. With completely opposite personalities, I failed to see how they got along so well. Hitsugaya seems to have learned to deal with Matsumoto's outgoing attitude, and Matsumoto seems not to care too much about Hitsugaya's anti-social attitude. I guess that worked out well.

* * *

I watched the ship go off into the distance. It was the third, and final time I'd watch that happen. I sighed. Another 10 months without seeing her. Another 10 months in which I'd wake up at night, wondering where she was and why I didn't sense her reiatsu close by. Another 10 months where I'd be looking through the mail, wondering if she'd replied yet. 10 months never seemed so long before now.

"Taichou... it's the last time..." Matsumoto said. I turned to her, and for once, I didn't scowl like usual. Instead, I gave her a small shadow of a smile, and turned away. She hurried after me, giggling as she went.

Stepping through the Senkai Gate, I was met with the gate guard, bowing respectfully. I gave a curt nod, and walked on. The 10th Division was still bustling with people, all shouting at one another, running passed in the hallways, making sure everything gets done on time, because they knew there'd be hell to pay if they didn't. I sighed again.

Reaching my office, I sat down behind my desk and once again began to work tediously on the seemingly never ending paperwork. Matsumoto was sitting in her seat, working diligently as well. I stared at her. She drove me crazy at times, but I could always rely on her when I needed to... just like Takamori.

'_Master... you are aware of the consequences of your feelings, are you not?'_ Hyourinmaru said, somewhat hesitantly. I frowned. Yes, in fact, I _was_ well aware of the consequences I'd have to face once Yamamoto-soutaichou found out about my feelings. It wasn't allowed, it's never been allowed. The only occasions where Soutaichou had let it slide were when it was business relationships, something that benefitted Seireitei and the Gotei 13 in some way. He'd never let us be. The moment he found out, he would order for Takamori's immediate removal from my care, and send her off someplace where I'd probably never see her again. After that, I'd be called in for a lengthy lecture, and possibly a demotion for purposely breaking the rules.

"Taichou? Daijoubu desu ka?" Matsumoto asked. I looked up. She was looking at me with a worried expression on her face. I shook my head, getting back to the paperwork, silently berating myself for getting distracted.

"Iia...Betsuni... get back to work, Matsumoto," I said.

"You're in love with Mina-chan, aren't you?" she asked, although she already knew the answer. She'd known it for some time now. She knew me too well not to know, and yet she still asked. I didn't answer, pretending to be too absorbed in my paperwork to have heard, but I knew I couldn't fool her.

"Are you really going to let her go just because of the rules Soutaichou set?" I paused, then, deciding that I really didn't want to answer, continued on as if nothing had happened. Was I going to let her go? Was I going to hide my emotions and push Takamori away for the sake of the rules? The honest answer was: No. Of course not. I knew, in my heart of hearts that she meant too much for me to do that. I cared too much. She was... everything and more to me. I couldn't piece out why, but she was.

'_Are you willing to give up everything you've worked for, for the sake of a normal girl?'_ Hyourinmaru inquired. Yes, I was, though hell would have to break loose before I admitted that to _anyone_.

"Taichou, please, answer me, truthfully, are you in love with Mina-chan?" Matsumoto said again. I put down my pen and buried my face in my hands, taking a deep breath.

"Yes."

Immediately, I felt something lift off my heart, as if it'd been waiting for me to say that out loud, to someone else. My whole being felt lighter and I suddenly felt that anything was possible. I could have killed Aizen with less than three strikes.

"Thank you. That's all I needed to know." I looked up at Matsumoto. She was smiling, not a bubbly smile, or a drunken smile, but a real, happy smile. Her eyes were glittering and she winked at me before lowering her head to look back at the paperwork. I smiled too. It felt nice to know that I didn't need to hide it any longer, at least not in this office. Outside of it, maybe, but not inside, not anymore.

'_Please... consider Master. Think about the cost of this...'_ Hyourinmaru said. My frown deepened.

'You were the one, if I'm not much mistaken, throwing jibes at me the last time I checked. So why all this hesitation now?' I asked huffily. Hyourinmaru paused, as if considering how to reply. Finally, he said,

'_Master, I never thought you were serious back then. I believed, that once you realized what was going on, something would be done. On the other hand, it was all in good fun...'_ I growled. All in good fun? What was that supposed to mean? Was he just poking fun at me all those times?

"You don't exist to irritate me, Hyourinmaru, yet you're doing a splendid job," I said through clenched teeth. Matsumoto look up at me, but didn't say anything.

The great dragon chuckled. It was a rough, grinding sound, but nonetheless soothing.

'_I thank you for the compliments, Master,' _he said. I growled again. Enough was enough. It was time to tune him out. That stupid ice dragon was starting to get annoying. Though that wasn't what bothered me. It was the truth in his words that made me pause my pen. After I realized what was happening to me... to Takamori... should I have done something to stop it? The 'correct' answer would have been 'yes', but was that really the right answer for me? Even though I was caught in between two things, one of which I consider of the utmost importance while the other is nothing but an example of plain selfishness: duty and personal desires. There was a thick, defined line between them, yet I felt like I'm walking along an impossibly rickety old bridge that could crumble at any second, with one wrong move... or maybe less.

Half of me was yelling at me to forget about the dumb girl, to cast her away, and go on with my life as one of the most respectable Captains in the Gotei 13, but the other half was quietly telling me to face the truth. I loved her. I loved her more than anything and there was nothing I could do about it. True, given enough time, the feeling would 'wear off' slightly, but it would never go away. The moment I kissed her in Hueco Mundo, I knew that I'd never feel the same towards anyone, not even Hinamori. Even if I tried, even if I isolated myself from her. And I did try that last time she left, and see how that turned out.

'_Master...'_ Hyourinmaru's voice echoed through my head. A warning. I pushed him away, shaking my head, trying to focus on the papers in front of me. The black ink and yellow-white parchment made no sense to me, not right now. The more I tried to derive meaning from them, the more confusing they got. A dull throbbing began in the back of my head and the light reflecting off the paper suddenly seemed over-bright. The sound of Matsumoto's pen seems to have been magnified tenfold, and they were getting increasingly frustrating to listen to. Sounds from outside the door which I could normally shut out without even a second thought were now getting to me. I set down my pen and covered my face with my hands, relishing the temporary darkness.

"Taichou?" I flinched at the sound. Lifting my face from my hands, I winced again at the intense light that hit my eyes.

"What?" My own voice was nothing more than a whisper. I squinted, trying to adjust to the bright light. I heard the sound of a chair scraping against the floor, footsteps, and then, the light in front of me dimmed. I looked up. Matsumoto was standing over my desk, a troubled look on her face. Without a word, she placed a hand on my forehead. It was surprisingly cool.

"Taichou... you're sick."

"I'm fine, Matsumoto, get back to work," I said, attempting to start with my own paperwork again. A hand stopped me. I looked up again, annoyed.

"Taichou, you have to go rest. You're burning up." I shrugged off her hand and glared at her best I can, but got up and made my way to my own quarters. Matsumoto followed me, as if wanting to make sure that I really did rest. I paused at the door.

"I'll be fine, Matsumoto," I said, and stepped into the room. Getting into bed, I felt an incredible wave of fatigue hit me. In a few moments, I was sound asleep.

_"Promise me... you won't go and look for Aizen. Not until you're healed," Takamori said, holding me close to her body. Periodic pains coursed through my body from the wound in my gut, but I bit them back, refusing to make a sound. I raised my head, wiping away the tears that clung to her cheeks and nodded. For now, I would stay with her and heal. _

_She smiled, her whole face lighting up. Then, she closed her eyes and sighed with relief. I leant in. The whole world slipped away, and for those few blessed moments, it was only the two of us, together. _

"_Shirou-chan! Ne, Shirou-chan, look, look at my new lieutenant's badge!" Hinamori called, racing up to me. I turned. Her cheeks were pink and her breathing was heavy but she'd never looked so happy in her life. Raising her arm, she held out the shiny new lieutenant's badge for the 5__th__ Division. I scoffed and didn't say much, but inside, I was happy that she'd gotten what she wanted. She was so innocent... _

"_Isn't it great? I finally get to work under Aizen-taichou!" Her eyes were bright as her smile stretched impossibly wider. I gave her a grin and nodded. Yes, it was great. She'd gotten what she'd always wanted. I was grateful for her. The scene changed again. _

"_No! NO! Let go of me! Stop it!" Takamori was struggling in the hands of a Huge Hollow, who was quickly retreating into the air with her. I grabbed the hilt of Hyourinmaru and drew him out. Immediately, the great ice dragon materialized and shot out towards the hollow. The hollow dodged, cackling madly. _

"_Shi-Shirou-chan..." I turned. Hinamori was lying on the ground, in a pool of her own blood, one hand stretched out, trying to reach for me. I hurried towards her but Takamori's scream of pain made me turn again. _

"_Toushirou!" Takamori was bleeding from the head. The hollow was holding her arm between two fingers, letting her dangle dangerously. He held up five fingers with the other hand, grinning maliciously, then ticked off one finger. My eyes widened; he was going to drop her. Falling from that height, she'd surely be smashed to pieces when she hits the ground. I had to help her. But before I could kick off, Hinamori's voice called out behind me. Aizen had her in his grip, sword at her throat, five fingers raised as well. His glasses glinted evilly as he put down one finger. He'd kill her... _

_I looked back at Takamori, not knowing what to do. It was impossible to save them both. And I couldn't flash step nearly fast enough to catch Takamori if I saved Hinamori first. I had to choose. The hollow put down another finger. _

_Three... _

_I turned towards Aizen again. _

_Two... _

_I looked back at Takamori. _

_One...  
_

_I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn't choose... _

"_NO!" _

_Silence. When I opened my eyes again, it was to find myself in the human world, standing next to the railing where I could see the sky. I looked around. No one was here. The sun was setting. I stared out at the scene. Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder, I turned, surprised that I wasn't able to sense them. _

"_Why do you look so sad?" Takamori asked, joining me on the other side of the railings. I looked back at the sky and didn't answer for a moment. _

"_Toushirou-kun?" she was frowning at me. I looked at her and sighed. _

"_It brings back... memories..." I said. As soon as those words left my lips, someone called out my name. _

"_Shirou-chan! Obaa-chan! I'm back!" I turned. Hinamori was running towards me, her school uniform fluttering widely. I looked around for Takamori but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, in her place was Obaa-chan, a warm smile on her wrinkled face. _

"_Momo-chan, you've returned!" she exclaimed pleasantly. _

"_Tadaima Baa-chan!" she said, then turned to me, fluffing up my hair. I shook her off, grumbling about how we didn't want her back anyways. She only laughed. _

"_Tadaima, Shirou-chan!" I huffed, crossing my arms. _

"_Okaeri, Bed-wetter Momo," I said, though somewhat reluctantly. She laughed at my usual 'icy' demeanor, but said nothing about it. One of the things I liked about Obaa-chan and Hinamori. I smiled. She was home... As I sat with Hinamori and Obaa-chan, everything seemed so perfect. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening, and I've got the two people I care most about right here next to me. What could possibly go wrong? I frowned. Something was missing. Like... a small piece to a puzzle that made up 'perfection' in my world. I needed something else. I looked around. But this is what it's supposed to be like, me, Hinamori, Obaa-chan... what else was there? _

"_See... I told you, you'd forget about me..." _

_I whipped around. Takamori was standing there, her eyes downcast, tears running down her face. My heart clenched. Swiftly, I walked forward and pulled her to me, holding her close. _

"_So it's true... you _do_ care about her more than me." I turned. Hinamori was standing there, pointing an accusing finger at me. I let go of Takamori, not knowing what to do. Did I really have to pick between the two of them? I cared about them both, and I couldn't bear to choose one, while hurting the other. _

"_Shirou-chan!" _

"_Toushirou..." _

I opened my eyes, only to find the ceiling of my room staring blankly back at me. I blinked, and lifted my head off my pillow. Looking around the room once, I slumped back down, groaning as I buried my head in my blankets. It was a dream. No... more like a nightmare. Being sick always induced the wildest of dreams, but this one was... certainly more than out of the ordinary.

"Taichou... I brought you some tea." Matsumoto entered the room. She placed a cup of hot tea on my bedside table and stood there, waiting for me to get up. Rather reluctantly, I rose and took the tea, taking a careful sip. I felt the warm liquid make its way through my system, warming my body. I shivered. Matsumoto laid a hand on my forehead again, before smiling and removing her hand.

"You're temperature's gone down, Taichou. I think a few more hours of sleep should make sure that it doesn't come up again," she said. I scoffed, setting down the tea cup and trying to get out of bed.

"It's fine. I feel better now. I'm going back to wo-"

"Oh no you don't!" Matsumoto's arm shot out and pinned me to the spot before I could do anything. She was scowling down at me.

"Taichou, you need rest. I said 'a few more hours of sleep should make sure your temperature doesn't come up again', didn't I? So get a few more hours of sleep!" she said. I glared at her challengingly.

"Are you giving orders to your captain?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. She sighed and shook her head.

"Iie... I'm telling you to do this as Rangiku... not Matsumoto-fukutaichou... as an old friend." She grinned. I relaxed, and couldn't help returning a small smile. I needed to hear that. After all, when it really comes down to it, the ranking doesn't matter... not really. She was older than I was, yet I was her captain, though sometimes, it really does show that she knows more about _some things_ than I do. And I those times, I just had to shove my pride, and listen to her. I guess this was one of those rare times.

"Arigatou..." She giggled and leaned in uncomfortably close.

"Douitashimashite, Hitsugaya-kun," she said. I was about to correct her, but I bit the inside of my mouth, keeping quiet. I'll let it slide... just this once...

**A/N: So there you are. The be-lated chapter. Why? Because my system decided to crash.... and I thought I lost all my files.... luckily, the restore button was pretty cool about it and saved MOST of my files. Some of the larger ones are gone but still... most of them are here. Phew.... So I had to spend a few days doing that. I promise the next chapter will be up soon too. ^^ So no worries! **

**Alright! 16 reviews! You guys made/make my day. I heart you all. XD Here are the ones that made it happen: **

**_Jibun no Omoi__, __Sexy-Midnight-Fox__, __NinjaLadyHinata__, __HeadstrongNozomi__, __erina destiny__, __Hikari6007__, __icedragon205__, __CRdragonPyro__, __Sweet Nightmare's Good Byes__, __Shina no Miko__, __Mai-x__, __WinterVines__, __KurokamiHaruhi__, __Orangesz__, __lose-your-voice__, __dolphinrider22_**

**THANK YOU ALL. I LOVE YOU GUYS! Now go and REVIEW!!! Tell me what you think! I'll love you more if you do~! **


	8. 07: Practiced

**A/N: Okie dokie! Another update! I hope that one wasn't too late. XD ENJOY! **

Figure Seven:

Practiced

//People who write about spring training not being necessary have never tried to throw a baseball –Sandy Koufax\\

He was always on top of things, giving orders and such. Even when he walked, he gave off an aura of power and authority...

"Miss Takamori, please pay attention!"

I flinched at the sound of a crackler going off right in front of my face, and turned my unwilling attention onto the teacher. She glared at me, and went on with the lesson. I rolled my eyes and went back to doodling on my notebook. Looking over my numerous doodles that took the place of what was supposed to be a week's worth of notes, I saw Hitsugaya's name written in different styles, each nice and elegant, or cool-looking to some degree. I almost laughed. I'm such a sappy person.

"And that is all for today, please do not forget to turn in your homework on Friday. Class dismissed!" There was a scraping of chairs against stone as the noise level rose by a couple of degrees. Sighing heavily, I packed my things and walked through the door, finding Abigail already standing there, waiting for me. I grinned upon seeing my best friend.

"You look like you just had the best nap in your life," she said, laughing. I laughed with her, walking towards the dinning chambers. It was almost lunch time.

"Almost, if Ms. Bantherwig hadn't nearly blown my face off with a crackler," I said.

"What were you doing? Daydreaming about a certain... Captain again?" she asked, winking suggestively. I blushed.

"N-no..." She giggled and grabbed my bag. "Hey! Give it back!" I said, chasing after her. Laughing merrily, she danced in front of me, holding my bag out. I dodged around a couple of people, apologizing briefly before sprinting after her.

"... Hitsugaya Toushirou, Hitsugaya Toushirou, Hitsugaya Toushirou, Hitsugaya-taichou, Toushirou-kun, Hitsugaya Toushirou... Damn! That's five pages full of the same guy's name!" she said, flipping through the recent pages of my notebook. There were even kanji ten's written everywhere, not to mention the division flower drawn on the corner of almost every page.

"Has he _seen_ this?" she asked, holding it above her head so I couldn't reach it. The color in my face rose even higher as I tried desperately to grab the notebook back from her, but too late, Bryant had to come along and grab the notebook.

"Oh ho ho! What's this?" he said, flipping through it. His eyebrows rose as he looked through.

"Wow... that's a lot of the same name written over and over again."

"Ugh! Shut up, Bryant! And give that back!" I said, jumping onto a table bench. He merely held the book higher, knowing that I wasn't nearly tall enough. Damn boys. They had to be so tall. Bryant was peaking 6'3", and I was still 4 feet something...

"Bryant, just give it back, I think Koko's suffered long enough," Felix seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, but I shot him a grateful smile as Bryant grudgingly handed the notebook back to me.

"Thank you..." I sighed, tucking it back into my bag, and tried to look dignified, but I don't think I managed.

"You're really into that guy, aren't you?" Bryant asked, taking a seat next to me, and loading up his plate. I rolled my eyes, spooning some mashed potatoes and gravy onto my own plate.

"No Bryant. I despise him with every fiber of my being," I said, sarcasm leaking from every syllable. Bryant paused, looked at me, and then went back to loading his plate. I sighed. I don't know if he caught the sarcasm or not, but I thought it was pretty hard to miss.

* * *

"Hitsugaya-taichou. There's a captains' meeting in the first division. They say it's urgent," Matsumoto said. I looked up from my paperwork, slightly surprised by her sudden entrance. Nodding, I stood up and hurried out the door. She didn't follow.

When I reached the first division, I bumped into Kyouraku-taichou. He still seemed quieter than usual, but he looked better than the last time I saw him. I gave him a small bow and a smile. He reciprocated my gestures.

"How've you been fairing, Kyouraku-taichou?" I asked, in what seemed to be lighthearted interest. He shrugged.

"Better..." he said. I nodded, shooting him a sideways glance.

"Any idea of what the meeting's going to be about?" he asked, changing the subject. I frowned, shaking my head.

"Matsumoto just told me it was urgent," I answered. Kyouraku-taichou just nodded. He didn't make any further attempt to start a conversation, and I didn't see any reason to continue as he obviously didn't want to talk about _it_. We reached the door to the 1st Division captain's quarters. Exchanging one last look, we stepped through. A few captains were already gathered; amongst them were Kuchiki-taichou, Komamura-taichou, Kurotsuchi-taichou, and Soutaichou himself. We bowed respectfully and went to our separate places.

The rest of the captains arrived one by one and everyone silenced as Soutaichou took one step forward.

"Meeting in session," he declared. Everyone bowed their heads once.

"As you all know, the war with Aizen and the Espada is far from over," Soutaichou began. "Therefore, we must always stay on guard, as we do not know when the next attack is going to be. We don't know what they might be planning next, or even when Aizen plans to eliminate Karakura town for the King's key. So, as precautionary measures, I would like the 10th Division to contact the Enchanters and ask them for aid, before Aizen does so himself. Having the Enchanters on our side would be a huge advantage for us. They're powers are greatly different from ours, and so they deal more damage against the Espada, who share some of the Shinigamis' powers."

I blinked. He wanted _my_ division to ask the Enchanters for help? _Me_?

"Do you accept, Hitsugaya-taichou?" all of a sudden, everyone's eyes were on me. I was no stranger to pressure, but for a moment, I didn't know how to answer. The next though, my head was cleared and I nodded firmly.

"Hai."

"I've chosen the 10th Division because," Soutaichou continued as if he could read my mind, "they have already had encounters with these Enchanters, and fought alongside them. They also have an Enchantress currently residing under their care, Takamori Minako. Therefore, it would be easiest for them to persuade the Enchanter society at large to fight for us, not against. I fear that if we are too late in offering them a friendly hand, that Aizen would be able to offer them much more power. And humans, being the greedy and selfish creatures they are, would almost certainly go to him instead of us."

Several captains nodded, others just kept silent, but everyone in the room knew that he was right. Soutaichou made the 10th Division file in a report on the rescue of Takamori, and we had included the fact that Enchanting powers are magnified in Hueco Mundo, instead of being suppressed, like they are here, in Soul Society.

"Also, the 6th Division is to send periodic patrols to Karakura Town, and record information, as well as keep Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo and his companions updated on the status of the current situation," he said.

"Hai," Kuchiki-taichou replied, giving a swift nod of the head.

"We have yet to determine replacements for the Captains of the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 9th Divisions, and Kyouraku-taichou has yet to pick a new Vice-Captain. These decisions need to be made quickly in the current situation. And as Central 46 is no longer functional, all decisions will be made by us, finalized by me. Any questions?" Soutaichou asked. No one said anything, nor made any movements at all.

"All divisions are to continue with emergency training and measures. Meeting adjourned." He tapped his walking stick on the ground once, and the doors opened. Slowly, all the Captains began to file out of the room.

"Hitsugaya-taichou, chotto matte kudasai."

I turned. Soutaichou gestured for me to stay. After all the others had left the room, he tapped his walking stick on the ground again for the doors to close. Briefly, I wondered what he wanted to speak to me privately about.

"I have been monitoring the 10th Division very carefully ever since Takamori Minako has been placed under your care, and I have noticed certain... affections beginning to develop. Am I correct, Hitsugaya-taichou?" he asked. I felt my heart skip a beat, and my breath hitch. So he noticed... I didn't know how to answer. I didn't know what he wanted to hear, or which one was the 'correct' answer. Although this seemed like a personal opinion question, there was always a right and a wrong when it came to Soutaichou, and if I gave him the wrong answer, the whole 10th Division could be disbanded.

"H-hai," I wasn't aware that I'd been shaking, but I told him the truth nonetheless. Better to the truthful and trustworthy than to be discovered lying to Soutaichou. He seemed satisfied. Inwardly, I gave a sigh of relief. I'd managed to bluff my way through the first question, but what about the ones to come?

"I trust that you are aware of the strict restrictions on relationships in the Gotei 13," he gave me a swift nod and a look. I nodded back, keeping my eyes on his face, showing no sign of weakness.

"Then I also assume that you know your actions have been prohibited, and if I notice any further 'improvements' on this subject, punishment will be necessary. Now, I have assigned you this most important task of handling the relations between Shinigami and Enchanters because I have the utmost trust in your abilities as a Captain and a Shingami. Please do not let me down, Hitsugaya-taichou," he said. I nodded again, finding myself suddenly unable to speak. I always knew this was going to happen, but it didn't go as I'd expected it to. Somehow, it was a lot more painful than I imagined it to be. Soutaichou didn't even seem angry, but I would have preferred him to pull his Zanpakutou on me. Anything but this quiet kind of discipline.

"Good. You are dismissed," I bowed swiftly and walked resolutely out of the room. Reaching my own division, I slumped down in behind my desk, staring at its shiny surface. It was a while before I realized that the paperwork I'd left this afternoon was nowhere to be found. Looking around, I noticed that Matsumoto's desk was also empty. I raised an eyebrow. Well this was certainly unexpected. Had my vice actually done this? Or did she bribe someone with sake again?

"Taichou?" I looked up. Matsumoto was coming in through the door, a worried expression on her face.

"Why are you late? All the other Captains came back a while ago. What did Soutaichou want?" she asked. I sighed and buried my face in my hands.

"He noticed... about Takamori..." I said, not willing to lift my eyes and meet hers.

"Ah... Taichou..." she sounded almost pitiful. I did nothing but sigh once more.

'_I won't say I told you so,' _Hyourinmaru said. I scowled.

'Then don't say anything at all,' I shot back viciously. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture by that dragon right now.

"What are you going to do?" I shook my head again.

"I really don't know..."

* * *

"Oh I'll miss you guys _so_ much! Promise you won't forget me, kay?" I said, hugging my friends tightly as we prepared to get off the _HMS Enchanted_. I couldn't believe it. The year was already over. And... I'd probably never see any of them ever again. Well, probably once in the next 20 years or so, but even that had its doubts.

"You better not forget about us either," Abigail let go of me, tears swimming in her eyes. I really didn't want to leave them. I didn't, but what choice did I have? After all, I'm not alive, like they are. I'm a spirit. I don't belong in the real world anymore. Silently, I thought about how strikingly similar this was to the time right after I'd first died. Everyone was crying. I was crying. I hadn't wanted to leave... But on the other hand, I was going back to Seireitei, back to Hitsugaya. And not just for a few months, no.

'_It could mean... forever and a day with Hitsugaya-taichou...' _those words suddenly echoed through my head and immediately, I felt the color in my face rise. No one seemed to have noticed as my face was already red from bawling my eyes out.

Forever and a day. Hitsugaya... that sounded good. A picture formed within my head. The two of us... together in the 10th Division... happy... but that picture was shattered as the pistons blew once and the latter down to the platform began to descend. People were lining up to get off the ship, but me and my friends didn't move, only stood where we are hugging and crying. They knew that they would probably never see me again. I'd warned them. But still...

"Bye... I have to go. I think I can see Matsumoto and Hitsugaya on the deck. They hate being made to wait..." I lied, breaking away from the crowd of people. I couldn't stand this much longer. My friends nodded. After sharing a last hug with everyone, I walked down the stairs onto the platform, still wiping my eyes. Looking over my shoulder, I waved a last goodbye and pushed through the crowd, on the lookout for that familiar white hair.

After five minutes of intensive searching, I still found nothing. Sighing with frustration, I slumped down on one of the benches and huffed angrily. Could it be that he didn't come to get me again? Maybe he was having tea with that Hinamori girl and didn't 'have time' because _she's_ so much more important. I frowned at this thought. I was jealous. I'd realized that by now. I was so jealous of her, and her relationship with Hitsugaya that I didn't even give her a chance to get to know me. I was always awkward and polite around her, careful to watch her behaviour.

Looking around once more, I still couldn't spot that signature white hair, nor Matsumoto's inhuman breasts. Had something happened while I was at Ximax? That was a great possibility. They had said that they still don't know when Aizen's next move will be. Could it have been that while I was at Ximax, Aizen attacked, and now everyone was... No. I couldn't think like that. They were fine. Someone would let me know if something happened, right?

And on top of that, Hitsugaya's latest letter had said "see you at the port" so that means he knew I was coming today. I always come on this particular day of every month. He wasn't here last time, but Matsumoto had been. But now, not even Matsumoto was here.

"Oi! Takamori-san!" I looked up. Rukia was waving at me from between the crowds of people, apparently struggling to make her way over here. I stood up and grabbed my bags, slightly shocked. I waved back, a small smile growing on my face. At least I know Soul Society hasn't completely forgotten me.

"Kuchiki-san! Nice to see you again," I said, hurrying up to her just as she managed to break away from the waves of people. She stumbled forward, panting slightly. Looking her up and down, I had to admit, normal clothes suited her better than the Shihakushou. She looked so much cuter in the blue blouse and coffee-colored skirt she was wearing now. She smiled up at me and began to lead me out of the station.

"Another emergency Captain/Vice-Captain meeting came up, so Ukitake-taichou sent me here to pick you up," she said as we squeezed our way out of the station. I nodded. Another meeting on the day I come back? What is this? Soutaichou really does have something against me.

"We think," she said as we stepped through the Senkai Gate, "that we've finally gotten a lead on Aizen's new plans." I gasped.

"What new plans?" I asked. Rukia shrugged.

"The information has not been allowed to be disclosed to any other than the Captains and Vice-Captains. Ukitake-taichou has been forbidden to tell me, and so has all the other Captains and Vice-Captains." I rolled my eyes and sighed again. Great. I should have known. It was confidential to anyone lower than Vice-Captain rank.

We stopped in front of the 10th Division and I turned to Rukia, bowing.

"Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Kuchiki-san. I hope I haven't been a bother," I said politely. She bowed back.

"No! Not at all. I'll see you later then," she said, turning back towards the 13th Division.

"Ja matta ne!" I shouted after her before sliding open the door to the now too familiar office of Hitsugaya Toushirou. Sighing contentedly, I placed my suitcase on the ground and dived for the couch, burying my face in the familiar material, taking in the forever exotic and calming scent that I'd now come to associate with Hitsugaya. It was all so nostalgic. With a jolt, I realized that I wouldn't have to leave anymore. This wasn't just vacation anymore. I didn't have to leave after a mere three months. This was...

_Forever and a day..._

Forever and a day, I agreed. I loved it.

Lifting my head, I walked to my room and opened the door. It hasn't changed at all. The same wardrobe, the same bed, the same bedside table. I noticed a white box tied with a red silk ribbon sitting on my bed, with a folded note next to it. My heart involuntarily speeding up, I rushed over and grabbed the card, opening it with fumbling fingers.

_New Year Greetings Minako,_

_Matsumoto insisted that I get something for you this time as well, so I decided to get you this. It's not very large, but I hope you like it nonetheless. I give this to you in hopes that when you look at it, you will always remember me, and never forget again. _

_Happy Holidays and Welcome Home,_

_Hitsugaya Toushirou _

I read the note over twice, my heart beat speeding up with every rereading. What could he have gotten me? Putting the note aside, I reached for the package. Taking it in my hand, I noticed that it was very light. I shook it. The thing inside didn't clatter or clang or make any movement at all. I frowned. It seemed as if the box was empty. Curiosity rising, I undid the red ribbon and opened the lid.

At first, I really did think the box was empty. But taking a closer look, I saw a perfectly white ribbon sitting in the middle of the box. It was whiter than the whitest snow I've seen. Whiter than the whitest clouds in the sky. It was beautiful. The simplicity of it made my breath catch. Slowly, as if unwilling to believe my eyes, I picked it up. It was silk, and it slipped through my fingers like water. Softer than a feather, lighter than air. It was beautiful.

Looking back at the box, I noticed another, smaller note. I picked it up.

_There were many other things there that other girls would have liked, but I thought you would like this one the best._

He knew me way too well. I grinned and rushed over to the wardrobe door, where a mirror was embedded into the wood. I began to put my hair up, tying it up with the ribbon. The white contrast with the dark of my hair, creating a very nice effect. I turned this way and that, examining the ribbon from all sides and views. It was perfect no matter how you looked at it.

Hearing the sound of the office door open, I turned. That must be Hitsugaya and Matsumoto.

"Ne Taichou! Stop being so down! Just because you couldn't go pick up Mina-chan doesn't mean you have to be angry at everyone," Matsumoto's voice said. I giggled and blushed. He was unhappy because he couldn't come see me? I mentally squealed.

"Urusai ne, Matsumoto," Hitsugaya's voice snapped back. I heard the sound of his chair grinding against the ground, and the sound of him sitting down heavily. Then, there was silence. I made my way to the door as quietly as possible and cracked it open. Hitsugaya was sitting there at his desk, already working on his paperwork. He must have been too concentrated to notice me. That was unlike him... I opened the door fully and stepped out, clearing my throat as to catch their attention. Both Hitsugaya and Matsumoto looked up. A wide grin spread across Matsumoto's face as she leapt up from her seat and engulfed me in a lung-crushing hug.

"Mina-chan! Welcome home! We didn't know you were back yet!" she said, letting go of me and inspecting me at arms' length. I smiled and nodded, not really knowing what to say. I'd known her for a little more than four years now and she hasn't changed a bit.

"Well I haven't back for very long," I said as she let go of me. I turned. Hitsugaya was standing there behind his desk, eyes trained on something on my head. I grinned and tugged at one of the ends of the white ribbon, a small blush creeping up my face.

"Thanks... I... love it," I said. He didn't say anything, just nodded. There was a small silence in which Matsumoto mysteriously melted away into who knows where.

"Welcome back, Takamori," he said, clearing his throat. I didn't reply. But a moment later, I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his shoulder. He seemed slightly taken aback and stumbled a bit, but quickly regained his balance.

"I missed you," I said. I felt his hands wrap around me.

"Okaeri... baka," he whispered gently. I could almost hear the smirk on his face though I didn't lift my head to confirm it.

"Tadaima, Toushirou."

**A/N: Awww... right? XD LOL. Ok! I'm pretty happy with this chapter! One of the few I managed to save XDD but worry not! Everything will be fine again soon! Actually, I've got almost everything sorted out from that crash. I thought I lost everything... but apparently not! A few old restoration techniques and some speed-writing and I'm almost all caught up! YAY! So, next chappie should be up soon! **

**11 reviews~ Whoot! Alright!!! Here are the LOVELY people that made it happen: **

**HeadstrongNozomi, NinjaLadyHinata, Orangesz, Aqua4, Shina no Miko, CRdragonPyro, erina destiny, Sweet Nightmare's Good Byes, icedragon205, Mai-x, WinterVines **

**YAY! For these people! I love you guys! Now, for all you ninja readers who are silent as the grave.... raise your voices! C'mon! I want to know what you think! Any opinions, suggestions... anything! Tell me about it, whether in an email, or a PM, or a review! I look forward to hearing from everyone! **

**Mucho love to you all! And see you next chapter! **


	9. 08: Overlook

**A/N: yes yes, I know it's been a while since I've updated, but that's because of SEVERAL very important reasons. Most of which I will explain at the END. For now, though, ENJOY!!! **

Figure Eight:

Overlook

//The essence of genius is to know what to overlook –William James\\

I was finally back. After three whole years of visiting, I was back, and for good.

It felt... odd. Truth be told, there was little difference between this and any other summer vacation I'd spent. Hitsugaya was always working on paperwork nowadays, and Matsumoto always had something to do too. So, I was left to amuse myself in any way possible. I couldn't wander like I used to because everyone was on guard now, training and whatnot. People were always running around, shouting things, ordering other people around, or getting yelled at. In the 10th Division, everyone was so serious. I guess they'd all rubbed off of Hitsugaya when it comes to work. None of them seemed to be able to take a joke. It was killing me. I hadn't had a good laugh in days. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to visit Kyouraku-taichou to see how he's doing.

At first, Hitsugaya didn't approve, but with a little begging and pouting from my part, he'd reluctantly agreed to let me visit Kyouraku-taichou. Skipping happily, I thought of how wonderful it felt to be out and about again. I was a pretty social person by nature, so being shut up would be the worst type of punishment for me.

"Ohanyou gozaimasu, Kyouraku-taichou!" I said as he opened the door. He seemed slightly shocked upon seeing me, but a smile quickly slid onto his face as he stepped aside to let me in.

"Ohanyou, Takamori-chan! What a pleasant surprise!" he said, sitting down opposite me. I grinned widely at him, looking around the place. It's certainly been a while since I've been in his office. The only thing missing was the ever familiar form of Nanao-fukutaichou behind Kyouraku-taichou all the time. At this thought, I flinched but managed to hide it from Kyouraku-taichou as he was currently staring into his cup of tea.

"How have you been?" I asked. It was the same question I'd asked before I left ten months ago, right after the battle had ended. And as before, I knew he grasped the deeper meaning of that seemingly innocent question.

"Much better, thank you," he said, smiling again. I noticed that it wasn't as forced as it was before, and felt a great weight lift from my chest as if his pain had been keeping me down as well. Now that I think on it, maybe it had. I had a bad habit of caring too much for people. Felix said that it'd be my downfall one day. I don't exactly know what he means, but he sounded quite serious when he said it. Nothing at all like his usual, cheerful self.

"That's good to hear," I said, eyes bright. He did look better. There wasn't that blank expression on his face anymore. He seemed more alive now than back then. The emptiness that filled his eyes every time her name was mentioned was still there, but, I thought dryly, I doubted that would ever go away. Suddenly, I thought about what I would do if Hitsugaya died. My heart clenched and my mind refused to let go of the thought. I would probably never smile or laugh again...

Shaking my head slightly as to get rid of such thoughts, no, he wouldn't die. He couldn't. I wouldn't allow it. I looked back at Kyouraku-taichou. He didn't seem to have noticed my sudden movement as he was still staring into his teacup.

"Have you... found a new Vice Captain yet?" I asked tentatively, afraid of how he'd take the question. But he looked at me, then smiled, shaking his head, and I knew he knew that I meant no harm. Inwardly, I sighed. I knew that for him, finding a new Vice Captain would be tantamount to saying that he's replacing Nanao-fukutaichou. He couldn't do that. But he needed to, for Soul Society. For the first time in a long while, I thought about how cruel Soul Society really was and is. No emotions. No happiness. Nothing but rules and regulations, orders and fighting. But it was full of such wonderful people. In this place where nothing but law mattered, I'd found the person I loved. How could I complain?

"It's a cruel place, Soul Society," Kyouraku-taichou said, nodding as if he could hear my thoughts. I gave him a sad smile, agreeing.

"You sure you can make it here?" he asked, giving me a long, hard look. I looked resolutely back.

"You did," I said. He chuckled, nodding, taking a sip of his drink.

"I did," he agreed and looked back at me, and eyebrow raised.

"So why can't I?" I challenged. He laughed again, reached over and patted my head.

"That's the spirit. Have you thought of entering the Academy yet?" he asked. I frowned. Ever since I came back, that thought has been floating around my head. It just wouldn't leave me alone, and neither would the words he said that accompanied them.

_Forever and a day with Hitsugaya-taichou..._

"Yeah, I have..." my words trailed off as I stared into the distance, not really seeing the bookshelves that lined the walls. How would Hitsugaya take the news? Would he be happy? Or disapproving? Did I even have what it takes to make it into the Academy? All these questions... I wanted answers. But where to get them...

"And...?" Kyouraku-taichou pressed on. I sighed, looking back down at my teacup again.

"I don't know. I mean, I want to just rest a bit before doing anything. I'm still not used to the idea of staying here for such a long time. I keep thinking that I have to leave after a few months again. And... I don't know how he'll take the news. He's so unpredictable." I said, bringing the cup of tea to my lips and taking a careful sip. Kyouraku-taichou started to laugh. I looked on in surprise.

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"You worry too much. Hitsugaya-taichou would be more than pleased if he hears, you take my word for it. He cares about you much more than he lets on, you know," he said. I blushed. I wish he did... I really do.

"Y-you think so?" I was flustered. It was never comfortable talking about _this_ with people, especially not someone I viewed like a parent. It felt quite like telling my father that I had a boyfriend. Kyouraku-taichou put down his tea and leaned forward.

"I know so."

I nodded, afraid to meet his eyes. The room suddenly seemed too hot to be right. I ran my fingers along the edge of the cup, staring into the green, murky depth of the tea. I saw my own reflection, embarrassed, and a little confused and flustered.

"You really think I should enter the Academy?" I asked in a small voice. Though I showed no doubt that I could before, I knew that Kyouraku-taichou saw through my confidence. I was scared that I couldn't perform up to standards. I mean, I would be going back to the 10th Division every day. What if Hitsugaya asked how I did on an exam or something and I did horribly. What would he say or do? Would he be mad at me? Would he not care? In truth, I wanted neither and both. His being angry would prove that he cared about my grades and how I did, though it would cost me much embarrassment and the pain of having to sit through one of his lectures. His not caring would prove that he didn't really mind my grades, and while I could avoid the lecture and all, I knew it would hurt to know that he didn't mind. I am such an indecisive person. I hated that about myself.

"Yes. Takamori-chan, you worry too much. Trust me, you will be fine. You have enough reiatsu to enter the academy, and you already have an advantage because you know about how the Shinigami system works. All you need to do, is learn how to control the reiatsu you have, and channel it. You'll be seated and ranked in no time," he said. I knew he was exaggerating on that last part, but it felt good to hear. Giving a small smile, I downed the rest of my tea in one. Setting it down on the table, I resolutely looked up at Kyouraku-taichou.

"Alright. I'll ask him about the Academy when I get back to the 10th Division," I said confidently. Kyouraku-taichou smiled and nodded, reaching over to pat my head.

"That's my girl," he said. I grinned. It's been such a long time since I've heard those words said to me.

"_That's my girl," _my dad used to say to me whenever I showed him a good test score, or my report card. He used to smile and muss up my hair, just like Kyouraku-taichou did. Unbidden and unwanted, pain seeped through my system as I felt my heart clench. I still never got to say goodbye... and all this time, I thought I was over that now. A hot prickling feeling was spreading all through my body as I felt my eyes well up with tears.

"Th-thanks, Kyouraku-taichou. Really." I said, standing up. I avoided his eyes as to hide the fact that my eyes were tearing up.

"Always a pleasure, Takamori-chan. Feel free to visit any time you wish," he said as he held open the door for me. I nodded, and giving him one last smile, stepped out. It was colder out here, without the warming tea and presence of Kyouraku-taichou. I took a deep breath and headed back towards the 10th Division, dodging Shinigami as I went. The visit to Kyouraku-taichou's division had made me feel better. I felt... fuller, more content with myself than I was before. Amazing what a little visit could do, I smiled and thought.

As I reached the 10th Division captain's quarters, I took another deep breath and pushed open the door. Hitsugaya was sitting behind his desk, eyes lowered, pen in hand, famous frown on his face. He didn't look up when I entered and closed the door.

"Tadaima, Toushirou-kun," I announced. He still didn't look up, though his frown deepened. I carefully made my way over to the sofa and sat down, neatly putting my hands on my lap and waited. For about a minute, Hitsugaya did nothing to acknowledge my existence, but when he finally put his pen down and looked at me, there was a small smile on his face.

"Okaeri. How is Kyouraku-taichou?" he asked. I gave a sad little smile.

"Better. Loads better, but still, not very well."

He sighed, looking down at his folded hands.

"That's to be expected." I nodded.

"There's... something I wanted to talk to you about," I said. He looked up, face completely neutral. It would have been impossible to tell what he was thinking. Suddenly, I remembered the time when I could tell what he was thinking just by a glance at his shoulders. I missed those days. Why was it so hard to read him now when it was so easy back them? Is it because of my feelings for him? Could the phrase "Love is blind" really hold meaning? Shaking my head, as if to get rid of these thoughts, I took a deep breath.

"I want... to enter the Academy." I said. There was a silence. A very thick silence. Hitsugaya's frown visibly deepened. Crap, I thought. What's he going to say?

"I suppose... that's a reasonable thought," he said, nodding his head, but still frowning.

"It's just..." he trailed off. I gave him a confused look.

"Just what?"

"After you graduate... but then I could always request you to be in my division... yes... that would be good..." he seemed to be talking to himself more than to me, but my heart swelled at his words. He really did want me in his division. He was nodding again.

"Alright then. Are you sure about this?" he asked. I only hesitated a moment before nodding determinedly. I could do this. I could do this. With him supporting me. I could definitely do this. He smiled. It was the first time in a long while that I've seen him smile. It was just a beautiful as before, if not even more perfect.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything for you. Just remember that the Shinigami Academy isn't like school in the real world," he said, then stood up. I nodded again, looking up at him. I only now realized how tall he's grown over the past few years. He was now a whole head taller than me. He was much more handsome too, his unique hair and eye colors notwithstanding, he was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in _both_ worlds.

"Thanks Toushirou," I grinned widely up at him. He only smirked and patted my head. I rolled my eyes. But his hand didn't leave my head. It traveled all the way to my pony-tail, and his smile was replaced by a look of slight shock and lingering admiration. At first, I was confused, but then I realized that the ribbon I'd used to tie my hair was the one that he'd gotten for me at the Coming of the New Year Celebration. With a jolt, I also realized that this year, we would get to go together.

"You're still using it..." he said, as if he'd expected me to stop after the first time. I scoffed and rolled my eyes again.

"No, I'm not. That's another white ribbon I randomly found on the ground," I said, sarcasm obvious in my voice. He smirked wider and flicked my ear. I winced.

"Itai! Hey, that hurt!" I said, pouting. I frowned, folding my arms and glaring down at the table. There was a moment of silence before Hitsugaya started laughing again. And it wasn't just a little chuckle. No. This was honest to goodness laughing. I looked up, forgetting to look pissed off. It was a wonderful sound. Smiling to myself, I sighed. And to think I could spend the rest of my life here, with him. It never really dawned on me like it did right there and then. I didn't have to leave here anymore. I could stay here forever and ever and ever...

The Academy seemed like nothing compared to the trips to Ximax. At least now we're in the same world and dimension. He could come see me any time he wanted, and vice versa. No matter where I was in Soul Society, I would always know that he's here. And as long as he's here, I know he'll find me. One way or another.

And, as long as he's here, I'll always come back to him. One way or another.

"Oi. Quit sitting there and smiling like an idiot and do something productive," he said, flicking my forehead. I frowned. On other hand, maybe this could be a good experience for both of us. See if we could exercise enough self-control. _I_ know that the only reason I don't come back every weekend was because I couldn't create a Senkai Gate to come and visit, but what about him? Did he really miss me as much as I missed him? I didn't think so somehow. Sighing, I stood up and stretched. He smirked, shook his head, and went back to his desk, resuming his never-ending stream of paperwork.

The rest of the weeks until the end of June passed rather uneventfully. Nothing much happened as the days slowly rolled pass. Hitsugaya and I got along just as we did before, occasionally getting into a fight, but nothing big happened. That is, until Hinamori started visiting him again. Sometimes, I think that she just doesn't have anything to do, which is confusing because Division 5 currently doesn't have a Captain, so she should have temporarily taken over all of the Captain's duties. Yet she still comes to the 10th Division 'just to visit an old friend'. If the 5th Division is anything like the 10th, then that girl should be working her ass off, not dilly-dallying around all the time.

"Shouldn't she be working?" I asked as Hinamori left from yet another 'visit'. Hitsugaya shrugged, not looking up from his paperwork. I rolled my eyes and continued.

"I mean, Division 5 still doesn't have a Captain, and since she's the Vice, shouldn't she be doing everything the Captain did?" I asked. Hitsugaya shrugged again.

"Yeah, she should." I raised my eyebrows.

"And is she?"

"Maybe..." I growled. He's being vague. And he's usually _never_ vague. He's always straightforward and to the point, even to the point of painfully blunt sometimes, yet here he was, avoiding my question.

"I don't know how she has so much time to be wandering around like this," I said, looking down at my nails. Distinctly, I heard his pen stop moving and looked up. He was frowning at me.

"And in what place are you to be criticizing her? She's a Vice Captain. If she finishes all her work, then she can do as she pleases. Maybe her squad members are more helpful than mine are," he said, glaring in the direction of Matsumoto's desk, which was also stacked high with papers. Her chair was empty.

"On top of that, at least she does work, compared to you. All you do is sit around all day, reading comics and bothering me," he said, lowering his eyes back to his desk. I narrowed my eyes.

"For you information, _Hitsugaya-taichou_, I've been doing research on the Academy and have been studying for the Entrance Exams. I'm not reading _comics_," at this, I raised the book I was reading so that he could see the cover bearing the title: _Shinigami Academy Exam Preparation_, "I borrowed this book from Ukitake-taichou, who got it from the Library for me. And there's another stack of books in my room, that I've been reading as well. All of them are prep books for the Academy." Hitsugaya looked stunned, but no less annoyed. He changed tack at the speed of light.

"Hinamori-fukutaichou, is still of higher standing than you are, therefore, you are in no place to say or speculate anything about what she is or is not doing. It is not your place." My eyes narrowed even more and I glared at him. Snapping the book shut, I sat up straighter and faced him.

"You're right. I _am_ in no place to judge her, but that doesn't mean I can't ask questions about -" he cut me off.

"You do not question the behaviour or choices of those who have higher standing than you do in the Gotei 13. Those are the rules. Surely if you've been studying for the Academy, you would know that." I twitched in annoyance and took a deep breath to calm myself down. He was just acting infuriating today. He wasn't usually like this. I didn't know that guys could PMS this badly. Screw the rules, I thought, wasn't he the one that broke about half of those damned rules to come save me in Hueco Mundo? Where did the rules go then? When I asked him this, he slammed his hand down on the table, almost upsetting the bottle of ink and glared at me.

"Would you have preferred it if I _hadn't_ come to save you then?" he asked angrily. I shot a glare back.

"Maybe I would have. At least I had some damned respect in that place," I said. That was it. I knew it even before I'd finished the sentence. I'd crossed the line.

"What respect?! Do you call brainwashing a person and making them do whatever you wanted _respect_?! Are you saying that I don't respect you?!" he said, making his way around the table until he stood right in front of me, glowering down at me. I stared determinedly back up at him.

"No to the first and second, but yes to the third," at this point, I knew I was bluffing, but I was angry, and anything that would piss him off was OK with me. For a second, I saw something flicker in those perfect eyes of his, now ablaze with anger and frustration. It looked like hurt, and pain, but he hid it away quickly enough. And for a moment, I felt bad for saying those words. I knew they weren't true. I knew that he respected me more than anyone.

"Then perhaps I shouldn't have saved you if I knew this is what you thought," he said, looking away and folding his arms. My eyes softened as I looked at him. Now that I could no longer see the anger in his eyes, I felt my own anger ebb away, replaced by guilt. I sighed, then took a step forward. I raised a hand and carefully placed it on his arm, expecting him to shrug it away, but he didn't move.

"Toushirou... I'm..." but he lowered his arms and sighed as well, turning back to me. I looked up into his eyes. They were over bright and glassy. I gave him a sad smile.

"...sorry..." I said, lowering my eyes. I heard him sigh, but didn't lift my head. I felt his arms wrap around me, just like they had before, so many times before. I closed my eyes. Would it always be like this? Would it always be this easy to make up with him? I hoped it would, but I knew it wouldn't. I knew that we'd get into bigger fights, and probably not speak to each other for days on end, but I also knew that we'd always find some way to apologize to each other. Because that's just how we were. Neither of us willing to sit there and just take it. We both had strong personalities, and perhaps that's what drew us to one another. But we also had strong bonds, bonds that just a couple of fights won't be able to break up. We were stronger than that. I knew it now.

"It's fine," he said, gently placing a hand at the back of my head and stroking my hair. For a few moments, we didn't speak, nor did we need to. I knew, as he did, that both of us were forgiven and that after we broke apart, neither of us would bring it up again. I raised my arms and wrapped them tightly around his form, drawing him closer. I didn't want to let go, nor did I want him to let go.

Oh please, I begged silently to some unknown entity, please don't take him away from me. Please don't let this end... please... He's the most important thing to me in my life. If he went, I might be able to shut the feelings away, but they'd never fully go away. I'd realized this before, but the impact of the truth fell on me now harder than it ever had before. It made me feel impossibly weak. Weak and vulnerable. I felt that if he was taken away, I wouldn't be able to go on. Before, I thought that I could move on from anything, but now... I was beginning to doubt myself. Was I really that weak? Was I really that dependant on him? So dependant that I wouldn't be able to _live_ without him?

Maybe. I wouldn't know. He hasn't gone yet, and I hoped and prayed he wouldn't. Our relationship wasn't something that happened over night. It was something that was built, block by block over years and years of trusting, hating, fighting, and loving. This was something more than the average school crush, much more. I'd come to realize that too.

Nothing was temporary with him. Everything had its lasting impact and mark upon him, and me as well. When I first admitted to myself that I liked him, I'd expected as much. And when he admitted to me that he liked me as well, I knew this wasn't going to end after just a week or two, and it didn't. I didn't expect or want it to. I wanted this to be just like Kyouraku-taichou said, _forever and a day._

_**A/N: Alrighty, here are my reasons for being ULTRA late. My computer showed me the blue screen of death again. And this time, it died COMPLETELY, to the point of refusing to even turn on. I had to physically remove the harddrives, format them while trying to save as many files as possible, and stick it back into the computer. It took a while. Number TWo: HIGHSCHOOL. School is starting. And I've had LOADS to do. I'll try to keep updating through the schoolyear, but I'm not so sure anymore. T^T Work is going to be doubled once school starts. -tear tear- So as for the HitsuxKarin fic that I've been planning, it'll be a while before it comes up, but you can rest assure that it WILL be put up. ^^ **_

_**For those of you who thought I'd abandoned this story... HOW COULD YOU???? XD LOL Jkjk, but seriously, I would NEVER abandone a story. EVER, unless there was something SERIOUSLY wrong with it. ^^ Anyways, those are my reasons.**_

_**Okie! time to thank those who reviewed! And here they are! **_

_**HeadstrongNozomi, lose-your-voice, CRdragonPyro, WinterVines, Jibun no Omoi, Orangesz, Sweet Nightmare's Good Byes, icedragon205, NinjaLadyHinata, xEnmaAi, dolphinrider22, Hikari6007, Disturbed00Psycho, erina destiny **_

**THANK YOU EVERYONE! And please continue supporting this story till the end. Which is... now that I think on it... not very far away. I know, sad right? XD **


	10. 09: Unbending

**A/N: Yet another update. XDDD School's started. SIGH... anyways! ENJOY! **

Figure Nine:

Unbending

//Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try ~Anonymous\\

Maybe he's taking the whole Academy thing a bit too seriously, or maybe he's just stressed. Either way, I didn't like it. For the past month, Hitsugaya has been 'helping me prepare of the Academy', in his own way of course. While this included all the regular reading of giant books, and getting quizzed on impossible to remember facts about the Shinigami world, it also included some 'hands on' activities, in other words, fighting. At first I thought he was joking when he told me to "Punch him" but apparently, he wasn't in that good of a mood as to 'joke' that day, and promptly scared the living daylights out of me by pretending to try and do me in. After I'd caught onto the fact that yes, he was indeed very serious about this, we began 'training'.

After a month, I was beginning to notice some improvements on my part. Of course, it would literally be forever and a day before I was anywhere _near_ as good as he is, but I wasn't aiming to be that good anyways. 'Just until I'm no longer a liability to him,' I told myself, and with that goal in mind, I set to work. Now, one month later, I was quite proud of myself. I'd managed to remember most of the stuff he'd taught me in these crash courses, and I could actually stay alive for a decent amount of time, by human standards of course. By shinigami standards however, I was nowhere near good enough yet. And Hitsugaya was frustrated. Sure he'd commend me when I got something right, but he'd get much angrier when I did something wrong. Kyouraku-taichou said it was because he cared so much, and while I understood the principles behind his actions, I couldn't keep myself from feeling bitter towards his attitude.

I only kept myself calm by telling myself that he was a captain, and he had to maintain all of his captain duties while training me as well, and on top of that, he's a 'kid' by Shinigami standards. You add all that together, and no wonder the boy has attitude issues. But I was a kid too, and I could only take so much criticism before I break.

"Good job," he said grudgingly as we walked back towards the 10th Division. Well, more like he was walking, and I was half-limping-half-dragging myself behind him. I had bruises all over my body, and I had a creeping suspicion that one of my ankles was sprained pretty badly. Shocks of pain ricocheted up my leg every time I put pressure on my right foot. I'd come to hate the long walk between the training grounds and the 10th Division barracks, but I knew better than to complain to Hitsugaya. He'd just blow up like he did before.

Sliding open the door, Hitsugaya stepped in before I did. Reaching the couch, I slumped down in it, giving a groan of relief as the pressure finally lifted off my right ankle. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, savoring the brief release from pain. All the muscles in my body that were tensed up before seemed to just relax and my body went limp. I didn't hear Hitsugaya going to get the medical treatment kit, and I didn't notice until I felt someone lift my leg. I opened my eyes. Hitsugaya had some bandages out, and a bottle of strange blue ointment. I sat up a bit, to make things easier for him, and watched as he lifted up the legs of my hakama and examined the swollen ankle. His eyes were fixed and his hands were gentle as he worked with a purpose. First applying the ointment with tender fingers, and then slowly wrapping the ankle in bandages, finally cutting and tying the bandages. I watched, as if mesmerized, not even noticing that he was finished. He looked up and met my eyes. Only then did I realize that I'd been staring.

"Let me see your arm," he said, holding out his hands. I lifted my arm and rolled up my sleeves without a word, still watching him. He took care of the various wounds and cuts on my left arm before moving onto my right, then he turned to face me. His eyes raked my face, and I felt suddenly hot and rather naked under his gaze. He raised a hand and touched a cut right under my eye. I winced and his hand shot back.

"Sorry," he said, then lowered his eyes to the medical kit to grab the tube of ointment again. My eyes followed his movements, and I sat there, patiently waiting for him to finish. He applied the ointment to all the wounds he could, and then put tapes and bandages over them as well. When he finally finished, I felt a whole lot better.

"You know, I once promised myself that I'd never hurt you," he said, keeping his eyes trained on the medical kit as he began putting everything away. There was a forced edge of calm in his voice. A small smile formed on my lips. "Physically or mentally," he continued, shutting the top of the kit and staring down at the green cross. He chuckled and set the kit down on the desk, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling.

"I guess I've done a bad job at keeping that promise, haven't I?" he asked. I looked at him, just looked at him. I knew he was keeping himself from looking at me, but that just made my smile grow wider, and that warmth in my heart spread all the faster. I leaned up and pressed my lips firmly against his cheek. It was warm. Pulling back, I shook my head. He finally turned and looked at me.

"No, you're doing a wonderful job. It's not like these cuts and bruises are a big deal, they'll go away, and you're taking your time to help me even when you have so much work to do," I glanced over at his desk, which was, as per usual, stacked with paper. But to my surprise, Matsumoto's desk was empty. I smiled again, I really loved them. They were the best friends a girl could ask for. "I'm thankful," I said, "that I have you."

He blushed. It was so cute, made all the more adorable by the fact that he tried to hide it. He put a frown on his face and turned away, folding his arms.

"I have work to do, go find something to do," he said, picking up the medical kit and going to put it away, his face still red. I giggled to myself. He was _so_ worth it.

'Training' went on, and while I was improving relatively fast by my standards, Hitsugaya was noticeably getting impatient.

"Oi! How many times have I told you not to do that, baka?" he barked as my makeshift sword fell to the ground. I glared up at him as I bent to pick it up.

"Twice, and this is the third time in a _month_. Personally, I think that's pretty good," I snapped back. I was just adding oil into the fire with that, but I was really too annoyed with his attitude at that point to care much.

"Ever heard of the phrase, 'learn from your mistakes?'", he asked. I had to bite back a retort. He's just frustrated because he's a genius. He expects everyone else to be as brilliant as he is. He was just brought up like that. It's not his fault. Don't let your temper ruin your relationship with him, I kept repeating to myself. Taking a few deep breaths, I got into stance and we started again. After three more hours of this rigorous workout, Hitsugaya seemed to take pity on me and called for a halt.

"I think that's enough for today. Anymore, and who knows what you might do," he said, throwing his fake sword to me. I stumbled a bit, but caught it. He walked away towards the exit of the grounds. I grumbled, following behind him, feeling much like a servant. On the way back, we met Kyouraku-taichou.

"Ah, hisashiburi desu ne, Takamori-chan?" he said, coming to a stop in front of us. Hitsugaya gave a curt bow. I lowered my head as well.

"O-hisashiburi desu, Kyouraku-taichou," I greeted. He felt his large, warm hand on the back of my head and looked up. He was looking down at me with a smile on his face. I noticed that the empty look in his eyes were receding. He looked livelier than before, though there was still a ghost of that terrible loneliness in his features.

"Konnichiwa, Kyouraku-taichou."

"Konnichiwa, Hitsugaya-taichou."

He turned back to me and quirked an eyebrow as he looked me over.

"Been training with Hitsugaya-taichou, have you? Has he been a good teacher?" he asked. I laughed, somewhat forcibly.

"Ma na... he's been good... yeah...." I said, looking anywhere but at Kyouraku-taichou's face. He seemed to catch the hint and stopped asking. Instead, he turned to Hitsugaya.

"I've just received news from Yamamoto-soutaichou. It appears that hollow have been appearing in large numbers in the human world. He thinks that this is a sign that the Espada are on the move again. We'd better be prepared." Hitsugaya nodded, looking terribly serious. I backed up a slightly, feeling rather pest-like in such an important conversation. But the aura lifted as a smile graced Kyouraku-taichou's face again.

"Well, it was nice speaking to the both of you. Get along now," he said, looking pointedly at the both of us. I blushed and averted my eyes. He chuckled. "Come visit when you have the time. I miss having tea with you, Takamori-chan." I smiled, bowing as he walked off.

"Come on, I still have loads of work to do," Hitsugaya started off in the opposite direction. I stared at Kyouraku-taichou's back for a bit longer, before hurrying to catch up with Hitsugaya. Thinking back, I haven't been to Kyouraku-taichou's for a while now. What with all this training and everything, I really haven't had the time to go and visit anyone like I used to anymore. It was depressing, but Hitsugaya kept me working until the last second.

"Did you memorize that list of kidou incantations I gave you last week?" he asked. Sliding open the door to his office, he walked in without so much as a backwards glance. Crap, I thought, setting down the fake swords on the sofa and sitting down. I totally forgot about those. I looked it over once or twice, but never actually went to the trouble of memorizing the whole thing. I kept quiet and bit my lip.

"You forgot, didn't you?" He sat down behind his desk and raised an eyebrow at me. I gave him an apologetic look. He sighed and laid down his pen, kneading his eyes with his knuckles.

"What am I going to do with you? Entrance exams are but a few months away, and yet you're still –"

"I'm sorry, ok? It's not like I mean to forget these things. I'm just tired. I haven't gotten a full night's sleep in ages. And everything's just... just... not making sense right now. Ok? I'm sorry." I threw my hands up in frustration. Suddenly, I didn't feel all that great anymore. My body felt like jello, and I just wanted so badly to collapse and just not move anymore. He stayed silent for a few seconds. I kept my eyes downcast, staring at my interlocked fingers.

"Sorry..." I looked up. His eyes were fixed on the papers before him, and his fingers were folded on his desk. He looked contemplative, but slightly worried.

"I guess... I've been putting you through the wringer, huh? I just... don't want you to-"

"Feel left out when I go to the Academy?" I finished for him, a small smirk appearing on my lips. He paused for a moment, and then nodded. My smile widened. That was just like him, to worry about things he really didn't need to worry about. Typical Hitsugaya.

"Don't worry about that. I'll be fine. You said so yourself, with a personality like mine, I'll have friends in no time, right?" I grinned at him. He looked up, and slowly reciprocated it. So that's what this was all about. It wasn't because he wanted me to do _better_ than everyone else in the Academy, it was because he was worried that I would be _behind_ everyone, and so I wouldn't have anyone to make friends with. What was he thinking? Doesn't he know that people don't make friends based on their skill levels? I guess for Hitsugaya, everything's based on how much you can do. But if that were true, then what was I doing here? Shouldn't he have never associated himself with me? Thinking back, I have to admit that he probably wouldn't have if I weren't part of his mission. Someone like him, someone so intelligent and powerful would never seek the company of someone like me, a girl who can't do anything for herself. Reaching this thought, I realized that I was going back to my old self again, and mentally slapped myself. I'm different now, I told myself. I'm not the old Minako anymore. I've changed.

But was that really true? Sure, I've seen many new things made many new friends. I'm sure that my old friends would find it hard to believe if I went back and told them I was Minako. They'd probably take it as some sort of prank. It's true that I was different, but was I really so different from the Minako before I died? I still depended on other people for things, I was still afraid to admit my mistakes. I'm still as sarcastic and sadistic as always. I still made fun of everything in my sight. So in a way, I was still quite the same. I guess those things can't really ever change. If they did, then I wouldn't be Minako anymore, would I? I wouldn't be me anymore, and what fun is it when you can't be you?

Thinking about all this just made me dizzy. I wasn't naturally a very 'deep' person, so I usually never even thought about this kind of stuff. Now that I am, it confused me. I felt like I was doing this to myself, over thinking it a bit much.

Shaking my head, I cleared my head of all these confusing thoughts and looked back at Hitsugaya, who was working on his paperwork again. That never-ending mound of paperwork.

"Taichou!" called a sing-song voice that we knew all too well from outside the door. Hitsugaya audibly groaned.

"Aw, don't be like that, Taichou! Ne ne! I was just at Hinamori-kun's place, and we decided that we'd all go to the hot springs this weekend!" Matsumoto said, waltzing into the room. A vein visibly started throbbing in Hitsugaya's forehead as he clutched his pen to calm his frustration. His knuckles were slowly turning white. Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths.

"Matsumoto... we're not going," he said, perfectly straightforward, sounding very strained. Her eyes grew wide.

"Eh? Doushite? Doushite Taichou? It's going to be so much fun! You need a day off, and so does Mina-chan! Don't you?" She turned to me. I just shrugged, afraid to say anything else as it might set Hitsugaya off. Matsumoto looked unsatisfied and turned back to Hitsugaya.

"Please please please, Taichou. It's been such a long time since I've been to the hot springs, and Hinamori's coming too. Mina-chan'll come too, right?" She turned to me again. This time, I didn't even move. Hot springs, with Hitsugaya? At this thought, my face flooded with color and I berated myself for thinking such things.

"Matsumoto..." Hitsugaya warned, a sinister cracking sound coming from the pen in his hand. It was going to snap any moment now.

"Taichou... please," she dragged out the last syllable as long as it could go. _Snap_, the pen broke right in half. Hitsugaya's eyes flickered open as he glared at his Vice. His face was steadily changing from pale to pink. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"What about all this paperwork?" he asked, gesturing at the piles of paperwork stacked on his and Matsumoto's desks. Matsumoto smiled, as she knew he was going to ask her.

"Why I'll finish them of course!" And with that, she leapt up and bounced to her desk. Plopping down in the chair, she began to work at a speed that seemed almost impossible. Hitsugaya and I watched her in awe.

"So, what do you say, Taichou? If I finish all the paperwork, then can we go?" she asked, hands flying across the papers like practiced skaters on ice. Hitsugaya sighed and gave his consent. Matsumoto gave a squeal of delight and returned to work with renewed vigor. I could only watch in amazement as the piles of paper on her desk dwindled from five piles to two and then to half.

"Finished!"

I glanced at the clock as I walked out of my room, rubbing my eyes. It was ten to nine. It had taken nearly five hours, but that was much shorter than what she usually takes to finish one of those piles. She could really work if she had the motivation to do it. I'd taken the time in which the two had used to finish paperwork to memorize the list of kidou incantations that Hitsugaya gave me. They weren't as hard as I expected them to be, but still difficult enough to keep me occupied to five hours.

Hitsugaya also put down his pen, closing his eyes. I grinned. The candle light flickered across his face, casting warm dancing shadows onto the walls behind him. He opened his eyes, and they met mine. I looked away, suddenly feeling warm.

"What?" I shook my head, rushing to the couching and plopping down.

"Nothing." I didn't look at him. I could tell he was giving me a weird look. Matsumoto giggled. I turned to her, but she just winked and stood up.

"Ara ara! I just remembered, I had a sake date with Hisagi-kun tonight! Well, I don't want to be late! I'll see you two later! Ja na, Taichou, Mina-chan!" she sang as she waltzed out the door. It suddenly became uncomfortably quiet in the room. I glanced at Hitsugaya, he wasn't looking at me. Instead, his eyes were trained on his hands, folded neatly over the finished pieces of paperwork.

"Eto... ano..." I stood up, fiddling with the ends of my clothes, not knowing what to say.

"Do you... remember everything that happened in Hueco Mundo?" The question was so sudden, it caught me off guard. I stared at him, not knowing how to answer.

"Not.... really. I mean, I can remember parts of it... but there are still parts where I remember only blurry shapes and sounds..." my voice trailed off. He nodded, a small frown creasing his forehead.

"What about everything before that?" My face brightened as I gave a confident nod.

"Yes, I remember most everything before. Even the parts with you and Ran-chan in it. The human world, and coming here... everything. I have to admit, there are little tidbits that are still blurry, but I think it's all coming back now." He nodded again. My smile faded as I saw no change in his expression. He looked so... sad.

"Hitsugaya-kun?" He lifted his head, eyes searching my face, for something that I don't even know.

"I... was hoping that... that you'd remember," he said, lowering his eyes again. His voice had changed. It was no longer loud and commanding, but soft and almost tortured. I slowly inched closer to his desk, trying to get a good look at his face. What did he mean? Did something important happen there?

"Remember... what?" I asked. He didn't speak. It was a moment before I realized he was digging his fingernails into his own hands. His knuckles were white from clutching so hard at the desk. I quickly put a hand over his, hoping to calm him down. I felt his muscles relax and the blood rush back into his fingers. Placing my other hand on top of the first I tilted my head, trying to see his face.

"Hitsugaya-kun?"

"Hitsugaya-kun?"

He didn't move, just sat there. I was starting to get worried. He'd never acted quite like this before, and it was scaring me. Suddenly, he stood up. I jumped back, startled. He walked around his desk and right up to me. I looked into his face. His eyes were closed, as if he was sleepwalking, but I knew he wasn't.

"Hitsugaya... kun?" I was getting seriously scared now. He opened his eyes. They were glassy and fogged over with emotions unknown to me and maybe even himself. He just looked at me. Then, he grabbed me by my arms and pulled me to him. Our lips met. My eyes grew wide. What's going on? Why did he suddenly...

My eyes slid shut as I relaxed, letting him be. After a few moments, we broke apart. He was breathing a bit heavier than usual and let go of my arms. Only then had I realized just how hard he'd been gripping me. I raised a hand and put it against my lips. They were warmer than they used to be. Hitsugaya wasn't looking at me, but down at his feet.

"I love you."

I just looked at him. "What?"

"I love you, and there's nothing they can do to stop that," he said in a much quieter voice. He was acting so strange and out of character. I don't think I'd ever seen him like this before... but maybe... maybe I have... I frowned. They? But I didn't ask. He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Nothing..." he whispered. I'd never heard him use such a tone before. A tone so weighed down with sadness and longing. I raised my arms and patted him on the back, running the other through his hair. It were soft as always.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said. He nodded, but still didn't let me go. I gently pushed him away and looked up into his face. I raised a hand and placed it against his cheek.

"What's gotten into you? I was always here, wasn't I? The Espada won't get me again, I promise. I don't remember what they did, but I know that I won't like it. I'll be right here." I reassured him. He nodded, like a child who's being comforted by his mother. Slowly, I leaned up and pressed my lips against his once more, only for a moment before I backed away.

Just then, a slight knock at the door made us jump apart. Hitsugaya looked none-too-happy as the black robed Shinigami slid open the door and bowed.

"Hitsugaya-taichou, a summons from Yamamoto-soutaichou," he said, offering a piece of folded paper on the palms of his hands. Hitsugaya sighed and accepted it.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, you may go," he said. As the door closed, I looked warily at the note. Hitsugaya noticed this and tried to force a small smile onto his face.

"It's nothing to worry about, probably just a mission or something." He seemed so off when he said that, it almost made me wonder if this really was Hitsugaya I was talking to. He had his back turned to me as he opened and read the summons. His shoulders stiffened but relaxed a moment later. He forced out a laugh.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it," he said, turning back to me and stuffing the letter into his robes.

"Go get some rest. Matsumoto will probably have something huge planned tomorrow." He smiled. It was fake. I could tell, but I just smiled back and turned towards the door to my room.

"Oyasuminasai," he said.

"Oyasumi... love you too," and before he had time to respond, I shut the door.

**A/N: WHOOOT FINALLY! Some ACTION, right? LOL. Ok a HUGEEEEE thanks and hugs and kisses and mucho love to everyone who reviewed for the last chapter! **

**HeadstrongNozomi , Disturbed00Psycho , I'llxBexUrxEnigma2010 , CRdragonPyro , Sweet Nightmare's Good Byes , erina destiny , KurokamiHaruhi , WinterVines , Hikari6007 , Orangesz , diggydawg , -.S u m m e r S n o w w.- , lose-your-voice **

**THANK YOU ALL. I LOVE YOU GUYS. YOU ARE THE REASON I KEEP ON WRITING. I SWEAR. XD Haha. Ok! I'm hoping to get the next chappie up soon! So look forward to that, kay? XD **


	11. 10: Bold

**A/N: HOLY CRAP I am SOOO SORRY. But excuse at the END. STORY FIRST. ENJOY!! **

Figure Ten: Bold

//Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man ~ William Shakespeare\\

Light. It was so annoying. Go away. Let me go back to sleep...

Soft lips on mine.

My eyes snapped open and I winced at the sudden brightness. Groaning and covering my eyes with my hands, I sat up. It was morning already. I sighed and slumped back onto my pillow. Memories of the night before filled my head and I felt my whole body grow hot. We'd kissed. We'd actually kissed. Somehow, I knew it had happened once before, but I just couldn't remember when. Maybe that... that was what he wanted me to remember in Hueco Mundo. I felt a goofy smile split my face. We were officially an item now, at least I considered us to be. Although, now that I think on it, I really don't understand what he's thinking. I thought I did, but I really didn't. He's always a mystery, dropping clues and hints here and there, but never ever just giving me the answer, and just when I think I've got him all well and figured, he pulls this out on me.

Great. Just great. Guess it's back to the drawing board for me: figuring him out.

Sluggishly, I dragged myself out of bed and rubbed my eyes. Looking out the window, I realized that it was still quite early. The sun wasn't that far up yet. Pausing for a moment to listen, I could have sworn I heard the scratching of a pen on paper outside. Grinning to myself, I shook my head and got ready for the day. What a workaholic.

"Ohyanyou!" I said, opening the door. I was happy, cheerful, peachy as peachy could be. Bouncing over to Hitsugaya's desk I peeked over his shoulder.

"What happened to the hot springs?" I asked, leaning my chin on his shoulder. I felt him tense up, but relax a second later.

"Matsumoto planned it for the evening. Leave me alone, I have to get this work done before we leave," he said, grumbling through half his words. From his tone, I could tell that he was none too happy this morning. Frowning, I looked over at Matsumoto's desk. My jaw dropped. It was completely and absolutely empty. Fighting down the impossible urge to laugh, I looked back at Hitsugaya, now knowing exactly why he was so pissed off.

"Ran-chan actually finished her work before you did?" I asked, incredulous. His only answer was a ticked off 'tch'. I couldn't help it anymore. I laughed.

"What, you think this is funny?! You try doing all this paperwork instead then!" he said, slamming down his pen, causing ink to fly off in all directions. I bit the insides of my mouth, trying to stifle my laughter.

"G-gomen ne..." I said, still giggling. Hitsugaya looked as if he were just about to make a snappy retort when someone knocked on the door. We both looked over.

"Enter."

The door slid open, revealing the same man that came last night to deliver the note. He bowed low.

"Hitsugaya-taichou, Yamamoto-soutaichou will see you now. And, he requests that you please bring Takamori-san with you," the shinigami said. I turned to glance back at Hitsugaya. His expression had turned grim, and he was frowning.

"Fine. We will be there soon. Thank you," he said. The shinigami bowed again and slid the door shut. All temptations to laugh gone, I stared from the door to Hitsugaya and back, confused and slightly scared. What was that? Why did Soutaichou suddenly want to see us? That expression Hitsugaya was wearing never boded well, and I don't think this time was any different.

"Hitsugaya-kun? What's going on?" I asked. He just shook his head, sighed and walked towards the door.

"You'd better come too," was all he said before he slid open the door and walked out. I stood there for a moment, shocked, before hurrying to catch up to him.

"Hey, don't get all silent on me. What's going on?" I asked again. He still didn't answer. Rolling my eyes, I knew that any further probing would result in a yelling at, so I kept my mouth shut and huffed angrily the whole way to the 1st Division. Arriving outside the 1st Division Captain's Quarters, Hitsugaya took a deep breath and announced our presence. There was a deep creaking sound as the doors opened on their own. Soutaichou was sitting in his chair, behind his desk, his expression quite unreadable. I unfolded my arms and followed behind Hitsugaya.

As we reached Soutaichou's desk, Hitsugaya bowed, and I followed suit, not daring to raise my head until I was told to do so.

"I assume that you know why you have been called here, Hitsugaya-taichou," the old man said, turning to look at him.

"Hai." Hitsugaya only gave a swift nod, his actions jerky and forced.

"And you, Takamori-san?" He turned to me. Slowly, I shook my head, the frown on my forehead deepening. The old man nodded, turning back to Hitsugaya.

"Then let me... enlighten you, child," he said. "I have received, from a very trusted source, some unsettling information about the relationship between the two of you. Now, Hitsugaya-taichou has been warned that if it were to continue, there are to be consequences. And I now have knowledge that this 'unsettling' behaviour has not stopped. What, Hitsugaya-taichou, is the consequence of a violation of the rules of Seireitei and the Gotei 13?"

Hitsugaya took a deep breath and recited, "Any repeated offense of any laws will be punishable by demotion and/or suspension according to the seriousness of the offense. The Soutaichou has the right to renounce and/or assign other punishments upon his/her judgment on the offense and the offender." I just stared. What the hell was going on here? We hadn't broken any laws- wait...

"_No Captain – non-shinigami relationships allowed..." _

Ah... right. No emotions. I remember now. That ironclad rule of no feelings whatsoever. Right. I sighed. Now I knew what this was about.

"_I love you, and there's nothing they can do to stop that,"_

Soutaichou must have been the 'they' he was referring to.

"Good, good," Soutaichou said, nodding. "Then what do you think your punishments should be, Hitsugaya-taichou?" Stupid old man. He was teasing Hitsugaya. Damn him... Hitsugaya stood firm, not showing one ounce of fright or giving any reaction at all.

"I cannot answer that, Soutaichou. I do not have the power to decide punishments," he replied. Nice one. Soutaichou nodded again, then turned to me. My heart seems to have paused for a second, then started pounding ten times faster than normal. I was so sure he could hear it from where he was sitting.

"What about you, Takamori-san? Can _you_ think of a sufficient punishment?" he asked. I shook my head vigorously, keeping my head down, afraid to make direct eye-contact.

"Oh? Neither of you? Then who will be the one to decide? What about Matsumoto-fukutaichou?" Hitsugaya's jaw tightened as he spoke.

"With all due respect, Soutaichou, please keep Matsumoto out of this. She had nothing to do with it." Soutaichou raised a very bushy white eyebrow and I could have sworn he was smirking at us.

"I see... then who?" he asked. He was still teasing. Bastard of an old man. I glared at the ground, not daring to lift my head. I bit my lips to prevent the stream of profanities to begging to come pouring out of my mouth. None of us spoke.

"Now this... this will pose a problem. Hitsugaya-taichou," he finally said. Hitsugaya bowed.

"It is up to you, Soutaichou, to decide our punishments. It has always been thus, and it always will." I'd never heard him use such formal language before. I couldn't tell if he was kissing up to Soutaichou, or whether he was simply doing this because it was required. Personally, I thought it was the latter. The old man nodded once more and raised a hand to stroke his beard.

"Very well then. I think that the immediate removal of Takamori-san from under your care is in order. Also, we shall speak privately later about your Captain's class. For now, I suggest you go back and pack up all your things. Your new destination will be decided before the hour. You are dismissed." And with that, he gave us a final look and gestured for us to leave.

I felt stunned, rooted to the spot. I was being taken away... maybe forever. Hitsugaya only bowed deeply. I also lowered my head, albeit very jerkily, and hastened out of the room after Hitsugaya. The walk back to the 10th Division was deathly quiet. Hitsugaya was in front of me the whole time and every time I tried to catch up with him, he'd only walk faster, until I realized that he didn't want to talk right now, and stopped trying. As we reached his doors, he stopped so suddenly that I nearly walked into him.

"Takamori, you would do well to hurry up and pack your bags. Soutaichou's orders will be here soon," and with that, he opened the door and made a bee-line for his desk, where he sat down, and without so much as an upward glance, picked up his pen and started on his paperwork. I stood in the doorway, my heart beating rather irregularly in my chest. I was blank. I didn't know what to do. Everything was so right last night, and now... everything was wrong. Why? Why does nothing ever go right for me? I thought I'd finally found someone I could be happy with, and now he's being ripped away from me by a bossy old man that no one has the guts to stand up to. Why?

"Doushite?" my voice shook and I could feel tears in my eyes again. I lowered my head. I heard the pen pause.

"What?"

"Doushite?" Tears were falling freely down my face now. My shoulders were shaking and my hands were clutched into tight fists.

"Everything's wrong! It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Footsteps, and a hand on my shoulder.

"Takamori?" I shook him off, turning my back to him.

"Why is it always like this? Something always goes wrong! There's always something out of place. Or something missing. Why is that?" I didn't even raise a hand to wipe away the tears. As I continued to sob, I felt myself being pulled backwards into an embrace, and a chin on my shoulder.

"I-I don't know." I felt his arms tighten around my waist. I turned and buried my face in his haori, not caring that it would become dirty. Clutching at it as if it were the only thing keeping me from drifting away at sea, I sobbed. I cried and cried until it felt like I was going to shrivel up. I cried until I was sure his haori was soaked through with tears. I cried until my eyes hurt and even then, I kept on crying. All this time, Hitsugaya kept silent and kept a firm hold on me. I didn't notice him guiding me to the couch. I didn't notice him placing a blanket over me. I didn't notice that I was slowly drifting off to sleep...

My eyes were thick and swollen. When I tried to open them, they stung. My whole brain felt waterlogged and my body felt heavier than it had ever felt before. I was vaguely aware that my head was laying on something very warm, yet rather bumpy.

Forcing my eyes to open just a crack, the blurry image of Hitsugaya's face came into focus.

"Are you awake now?" he asked. His voice was soft, as if I were a sick patient in a hospital ward. I groaned and closed my eyes again. I wanted to go back to sleep but at the same time I was faintly aware that if I did, I would lose even more time with him, so I made myself sit up and rub my eyes. My eyelids were indeed swollen. It felt like my face was attacked by an angry hoard of bees or something. I looked at Hitsugaya. He had a bitter smile on his face and his eyes were hard. I looked around. It was dark already. Several hours must have passed since I fell asleep. I noticed my trunk sitting next to the door and a dead weight seems to have settled very firmly in my stomach. I averted my gaze so that I wouldn't have to look at it. Instead, I fixed my eyes back on Hitsugaya, greedily drinking in every detail. I felt like I was back at the station, as if I were to leave for Ximax again. I wanted to remember as much as I could. I wanted to remember everything.

Sure, it's not as if I were never going to see him again, but that's how it felt like. I didn't want to go, and judging from his expression, neither did he.

"Matsumoto's already packed your bags, seeing as how you wouldn't let go of my clothes." He let out a faint chuckle, folding up the blanket in his lap. I watched him, not entirely sure of what to do. After all, I would be leaving soon, and for who knows how long.

"Yamamoto-soutaichou's orders came while you were asleep. He says that you're to move into the 8th Division for the time being. Kyouraku-taichou has already been informed of this. He also says that he will allow you to stay here for the night, but you have to be at the 8th Division by noon tomorrow, if not, then there will be other consequences." Hitsugaya said all this with his eyes staring fixedly at the teacup on the table, as if the cup would tell him that he was lying and that this was all just a bad dream. The teacup, however, remained as stationary as ever.

"Ah... I see..." I nodded, pulling on my fingers and fiddling with the edges of my clothes. For a moment, neither of us moved, but we both lifted our heads to meet each other's gaze at the same time. I almost laughed at our in-sync-moment.

"What do you think will happen after I move into the 8th Division? Will I still be able to attend Shinigami Academy?" I asked. Hitsugaya thought about it for a moment before answering.

"You should be. Being in a different Division doesn't stop you from going to the Academy, but I don't think I'll be able to train you anymore. Kyouraku-taichou might be willing to help you though." I nodded, slumping back and giving a heavy sigh. So it was a total cut-off from Hitsugaya. That was my punishment, was it? Stupid old man. That was the worst one on the list and he just _had_ go and pick that one. I wouldn't mind doing something like... writing lines or something. Just... anything but this separation.

"This sucks..." I said, staring at the ceiling of the office, tracing the patterns with my eyes. I felt more than saw Hitsugaya give me a sidelong glance before also tilting his head back and heaving a sigh.

"There's nothing we can do, is there? Soutaichou's decisions are absolute, no one goes against them." I could hear from his voice that he hated this just as much as I did. He'd just confessed yesterday, and today, there's this. I peaked at him from the corner of my eye. He was so gorgeous and perfect. I never thought I'd see him this frazzled in my life. Though admittedly, those times he pulled all-nighters were as close as it gets. But this... this was on a new level.

He didn't have bags under his eyes, and his eyes weren't bloodshot. It's just that his whole body seemed to emanate tiredness and fatigue and the desire to just let go and not have to worry about anything. Sadly, I doubted he could ever have the blissful feeling of absolute calm, because he always had something else to do, something else to finish, something else to attend to. He'll never be free.

I leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. He turned his face to look at him. I gave him a sad smile, shrugging my shoulders and leaning back again. I heard him sigh again. Why not make the best of it, this was our last night together.

"I thought... I could forget you." I looked at him. What was he saying? He wasn't looking at me. His eyes were glassy, and they had that reminiscent air to them.

"During the times you went to school, I'd tried to forget you. And I almost succeeded too, but then I realized just how impossible that was," he went on. "No one, not even Hinamori could completely erase the memory of you. I knew it was against the laws, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't stop myself. And in the end, I just gave in, knowing that it would end up like this, eventually." I closed my eyes, listening to his voice.

"I thought that if I just refused to think about you, slowly, this feeling would go away, but it just got stronger, and no matter how hard I tried to push it away, it kept coming back. I was helpless to stop it." It sounded like he couldn't stop talking even if he tried. I needed to know this. He knew that. "At first, I didn't recognize what I was feeling, and thought it was some childish desire to have a friend, but after a while, I realized that it was something different. Something that I'd never experienced before. So I got scared, and tried to push it away even more, and that's when you came back. The moment I saw your face that day, I knew. I knew what that feeling was."

"And what was it?" I asked, rather sleepily, edging closer so I could rest my head on his shoulder.

"I was... in love." I gave a faint smile snuggled closer to him.

"Hm... love you too... g'night..." I mumbled, letting myself slip into that blissful oblivion of quiet dreams, where nothing existed other than me and a grassy field with the most beautiful white flowers I'd ever seen, and the most wonderful shade of green grass. Green and white. Hitsugaya... I didn't make the connection...

"Minako... Minako..." I groaned and swatted at the voice. Go away and let me go back to sleep. If I slept longer, I'd be able to stay with Hitsugaya a bit more.

"Minako... Minako! Get up!" I felt a painful jab in my side. Jolting into an upright position I swatted at the voice again.

"Ittai! That hurt!" I rubbed my eyes and looked around. Hitsugaya was standing next to my bed with a half exasperated, half amused look on his face.

"You wouldn't have gotten up otherwise," he said, seating himself on the edge of my bed. I frowned at him, falling back onto my pillow and pulling the blankets up to cover my face. I heard Hitsugaya sigh.

"I take if you want me to wake you up again?" When I didn't answer, I heard him chuckle.

"I hoped it wouldn't come to this. _Souten ni za_-" I shot up and jumped out of bed, wincing slightly as my feet made contact with the icy floor.

"No, no! That's alright! I'm up, I'm up!" Hitsugaya laughed. I watched him for a second before sitting back down on the bed. It was such a beautiful sound, made even more endearing by the rarity of it. I glanced at the clock and did a double-take. It was already almost 11.

"We've only got one hour left!" Hitsugaya heaved a sigh and nodded. I looked over at him. He looked sad again, and I immediately felt bad for making him so. I sat back down on the bed and stared down at my hands. What do I do? What do I say? Oh god... this is so awkward!

"All your belongings have already been taken to the 8th Division for you. So... all that remains is for you to move over," he said. I nodded. Silence. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. How can something like this be so amazingly awkward?

"What's going to happen to us?" It was a simple enough question, but I knew he caught the deeper meaning in it. He shook his head, staring down at his hands.

"I don't know..."

"You know what we need?" I lifted my head to look at him. He raised his eyebrows.

"What?"

"A miracle." I sighed again. "Something that can get us out of this mess." He gave a humorless laugh.

"That _would_ be a miracle." I forced a smile. Again, silence.

"Why don't we go and... I don't know... do something fun?" I said, suddenly sitting up. He gave me a rather confused look. I smiled. That's just like him. Not knowing what 'fun' is.

"You know... something to remember each other by," I continued, standing up and walking around, thinking of possible places to go. "Like... for a walk, or... to the shopping districts, or to grab something to eat. You know?" He blinked, and then frowned contemplatively.

"But where?" I shrugged, throwing my hands up.

"Anywhere! Anywhere we can make memories..." I said. At this, I could feel a lump start to form in my throat, but I mentally slapped myself. I wasn't going to cry. Not now. Not anymore. It's not like I won't ever see him again. I'll just be in a different Division. We'll still both be in Seireitei. I'll be at school, but we can still visit each other, and be friends.

_Friends..._

Will that be enough for me? Just friends? It wouldn't. I just knew it wouldn't. But there was nothing I can do about it. Absolutely nothing. It's not fair. Nothing's ever fair when it comes to laws and regulations. Someone always has to suffer for them, and it just happened to be the two of us this time. I'd once promised myself I wouldn't be held in by stupid rules and regulations. Damned fate and irony. They probably planned this together, and are now pointing and laughing at us. Life is so sadistic...

"Memories?" His voice pulled me roughly back into reality. I nodded.

"Yeah, memories. You know, the stuff that you _remember_ other people by." He stared at me.

"But I already have many things to remember you by. Almost too many." If I hadn't known better, I would have taken him seriously, but I smiled. He was joking with me. One of the few times he did actually joke.

"Urusai yo... come on. Let's go do something before the time's up." And with that, I grabbed his hand and proceeded to drag him out of the door. He didn't resist much, only followed along.

"There's a small garden that's somewhat close to the 8th Division. We could go for a walk there," he said. I turned to look at him, then nodded enthusiastically. A walked in the garden sounded wonderful right now.

"This way." He took the lead, walking passed many Divisions and finally coming to a stop in front of a small but nonetheless lovely garden. The whole thing was surrounded by water, and there was a small, shrine-like building in the middle. There were various paths that led to the shrine. Lotus flowers and water lilies floating atop their green leaves, blossoming in the summer heat. Seeing the water reminded me of something, so I turned towards him.

"We never went to the hot-springs," I said. He smirked and gave me a sidelong look.

"You were out cold last night on the sofa, remember?" I blushed. He didn't have to phrase it like that.

"You two could have still gone..." I mumbled. He laughed. Rarities were everywhere today.

"It wouldn't have been the same if you weren't with us anyways..." I smiled at that comment. It made me immensely happy to know that I meant something to the both of them.

"I guess... Well, come on!" I jumped onto one of the bridges that led to a path to the shrine. The reflections in the water were a little blinding at first, but my eyes managed to adjust. I bent down and reached out to touch a petal on a water lily. It was so beautiful, in full bloom. Smiling, I traced the edge of the petal and just crouched there, staring at it, admiring it's beauty, and slightly envious because it was so perfect.

"You're so lucky," I whispered. "You don't have to deal with troubles and worries, do you...? And you're so beautiful and perfect. Loved by everyone."

"And who said you weren't?" The sentence surprised me. I didn't think that Hitsugaya would have been able to hear me. But then I remembered. He was a captain. Of course he had superior senses. My head snapped up and my eyes met his in a flash. He gave one of his rare smiles.

"What?"

"Don't make me repeat myself." He walked passed me, towards the shrine. I slowly stood up, but didn't move to follow him.

"You coming?" He glanced over his shoulder at me. After blinking a couple of times, I quickly moved to catch up with him.

"You're so slow..." I rolled my eyes, but didn't say anything to contradict him. I couldn't help but smile as we reached the shrine.

_Memories... huh? This would definitely be something that I'll remember for the rest of my life._

**A/N: Ok... I can explain... wait... no I really can't. I've been a horrible author. I know I know, and I'm REALLY sorry. It's been like MONTHS HOLY CRAP. I'm SOOO sorry. UGH. You guys can TOTALLY semi-flame me if you want, and berate me on my TERRIBLE author-ness, but I promise I wouldn't abandon a story and I'm gonna stick to that. SO yeah. ^^**

**BUT a HUGE thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed. XD I LOVE YOU ALL. And I WILL update... soon. I hope. Highschool really IS more pressuring than middle school. DAMNIT. SO MUCH HW and CLUBS and STUFF. NARGGG **

**ANYWAYS! I love you all and thanks so much for your support! This story is finally drawing to a close soon... so yeah! I hope you all stay for that. ^^ **

**Until next time!  
Arelissa**


	12. 11: Cleave

**A/N: The horrible authoress is back with another chapter after almost a MONTH of inactivity. XD I hope you enjoy. ^^ **

Figure Eleven: Cleave

//We hardly ever realize that we can cut anything out of our lives, anytime, in the blink of an eye ~Carlos Castaneda\\

A month. Has it already been that long already? A whole month since I moved to the 8th Division. I was enrolled and accepted into the Shinigami Academy. At first, it was weird, because stares and whispers followed me everywhere. In the hallways, people's heads turned as I passed by, and if I looked at them, they'd look away. Everyone seemed interested in me. The reason? Because I lived within the Seireitei, the place for which they were all studying and fighting to get into. And on top of that, I lived in the _Captain's Quarters_ of the 8th Division. Talk about standing out of the norm.

But the one thing that I can't help thinking about... _him_. How was _he_ doing? Is _he_ still doing all the paperwork? Does _he_ think of me as much as I think of _him_? I haven't seen him at all over the past month. It hurt me to think that we were growing apart. How could we not have? Being apart for that long a time has definitely built some manner of wall between us. I didn't want that. I started zoning out in class again, wondering what he was doing right now. Thinking of how Matsumoto was probably pushing all her work onto him, while she went out sake-drinking. She'd come to visit me twice at school. Both times were enjoyable, but somewhat awkward. After all, she was a Vice. And having a Vice greet you with a hug after school ended isn't the most common thing in the world. Many passing students paused to eavesdrop on our conversation, which consisted mostly Matsumoto blabbing away about how mean Hitsugaya was, and how he limiting her time out of the Division. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Serves you right," I'd said, "He's young by Shinigami standards, and yet you're doing nothing to help him with the workload! What kind of an elder are you? Aren't people who are older supposed to take on more responsibilities?" To which she pouted and muttered something about missing dates and hot spring-vacations.

The second time was even more conspicuous. She'd somehow managed to get her hands on my schedule and tracked me down during break.

"Yo!"

"Ran – I mean... Matsumoto-fukutaichou!" I bowed, though unable to mask the surprise in my voice.

"Nan dayo, Mina-chan? All this formality?" she seemed unfazed by the many looks and stares we were receiving. I gave her a small glare.

"I'm at school!" I whispered as we both headed out to the Academy grounds. She blinked confusedly at me.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I rolled my eyes.

"People are already treating me weird because I live under Kyouraku-taichou's care. Please, please don't make me stand out any more than I already do." I was begging now. I doubt she got what I was trying to say, but nonetheless, she reverted to more formal ways of speech, though accompanied by an occasional wink or nudge. The rest of the day after she left was one of the most uncomfortable ones I've ever been though. People were talking more than ever, and I had to avoid large crowds for a week after that incident.

Time was starting to slow down again. Days were starting to drag, and I found myself daydreaming more often than before. My grades were starting to drop, and I was always staring off into space. I'd made friends, but none of them were as close as the friends I'd made at Ximax.

"Minako-chan?" I started, looking around myself. It was Hino Atsuki. A cute girl, with a button nose, and very large, bright eyes.

"Eh?"

"Class is over! C'mon! Let's go to the training grounds. I have something to tell you!" I blinked a few times before my mind caught up with the situation. Shoving my stuff into my bag, I ran after her.

"Atsuki-chan! Chotto matte yo!" She only giggled and twirled around to pull a face at me before racing off again. I sighed, and picked up my pace.

"You're slow!" she said, tapping her foot impatiently against the ground as I finally reached her.

"Well you had a head start!" I paused to catch my breath before I looked at her again, "So what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

She giggled and twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.

"I think Kimura-kun likes you!" I stared at her.

"Kimura... Ryouta-kun?" She nodded. I frowned, thinking.

"What makes you think that? He's never shown any signs of -"

"You're so dumb when it comes to think kinda stuff!" she said, walking over to the nearest bench and plopping down on it. I followed suite, giving her a questioning look.

"Haven't you noticed? He says 'Hi' to you every time he passes you in the hallway, and when we're in Kidou, he's always looking at you, and offering to help you! It's so obvious that he likes you!" I looked down at my hands, thinking about what she'd said. It was true. I just thought he was extremely helpful to people. Truth be told, I liked the guy. He was cool and easy to get along with. Very open minded and not afraid to speak his opinions, regardless of what people may think. And, he's always happy and smiling. But I've been thinking of _him_ so much I haven't considered the fact that there may be other 'opportunities' at the Academy. I mean, half the guys here don't look that bad. I quickly shook my head at this thought. No, I can't think like that. Hitsugaya was.... irreplaceable in all senses. I couldn't _possibly_ be thinking about stuff like this.

Even though we've been separated, and we clearly weren't allowed to be together... there was still something. Something that no one could take away from us.

"Minako-san?" I looked up. It was Kimura. I blinked.

"Ryouta-kun!" He smiled. I looked around. Hino was gone. I made a mental note to talk to her about leaving me in awkward situations all by myself.

"What's going on? You seem spaced out." He took the seat the Hino had recently vacated. Sweat clung to his face and skin. He must be taking a break from sparring. I shook my head.

"Nn... It's nothing. Just thinking..." I said. He raised an eyebrow.

"About?" I hesitated. 'About _him_...' but I couldn't possibly say that.

"Just... stuff..." I said, evasively. I gave him a sideways look. Seeing the expression on his face, I laughed. He seemed amused.

"Apparently, this 'stuff' has had you pretty wrapped up, huh? You've been like this for the past week." I didn't say much. Has it really? Maybe...

"Ah... sorry... I was just..." I looked down at my hands again. I heard him chuckle beside me.

"How about... we go somewhere after school today?" My head snapped up. I searched his face. It was so sincere. It was something that Hitsugaya rarely showed. Not that he wasn't sincere, but he just hid it so well behind that icy mask of his. They were so different.

"Um..." I sighed. "Sorry... I have plans after school today so... maybe next time, alright?" In truth, Kyouraku-taichou had offered to take me to the great Library. I was really looking forward to it. Reading was something I could do. Although I don't know if I'd be able to understand much of what was stored in the great library. His face dropped and I immediately felt bad.

"Erm... how about Tuesday? I'm free then," I offered. He perked up again.

"Really? That's great! Alright, I'll see you then!" And with that he bounded off towards the exit of the training grounds. I watched his back, shaking my head. What had I gotten myself into? Well... one date couldn't hurt, right?

* * *

"Let's go, Minako-chan," Kyouraku-taichou said, leading me out the door. I followed diligently behind him, occasionally saying this and that. But most of the time was spent in comfortable silence. When we reached the Library, I couldn't help but pause in my steps. It was _huge_.

"Whoa..."

"They don't call this the Great Spiritual Library for nothing, you know," Kyouraku-taichou said. I could only stare in awe as we entered the main gates, bowed in by a pair of black-clad shinigami. Gate-guards.

"I thought it would be useful for you to know where everything is. After all, you _are_ going to be in the Gotei 13 soon." I frowned, hurrying to keep in pace with him.

"What do you mean? I still have a couple years left to go..." He chuckled, looking down at me.

"A couple years passes like a few hours for we who have been alive for so long, Minako-chan." I nodded in understanding. He began to talk, showing me the various sections of the library and explaining its various uses and the information it stored. I tried my best to take everything in.

"Usually, they take all the students on a tour through here during your last year, but I thought you'd be able to handle it a few years early, what do you think?" I rolled my eyes.

"Well you didn't give me much of a choice, Kyouraku-taichou." He laughed again. I smiled to myself. He was laughing more now. It seemed that he was finally starting to let go of the fact that Nanao-fukutaichou was gone. I was happy for him. It hurt me to see him so down before.

"Ohya? Hitsugaya-taichou? Matsumoto-fukutaichou?" I stiffened at the sound of that name. Turning slowly to face the direction which Kyouraku-taichou was facing, I took a deep breath and looked up.

There he was. Standing there, a look of polite surprise on his face, that is, until his gaze fell onto me. His whole being seemed to lock up, and his eye grew wide. I bit my lip, resisting the urge to run up to him and tackle him. I clasped my hands behind my back and twisted my fingers together nervously. What do I do? What do I say?

"What a pleasant surprise, ne Minako-chan?" I jumped, before nodding jerkily.

"H-hai..."

"Oi! Mina-chan~!" Matsumoto bounded up to me and gave me a bone-crushing hug. I could do nothing but wait till she left me down. Coughing slightly, I looked up at her.

"Nice to see you again, Matsumoto-fukutaichou," I said rather robotically.

"There's no need to be so formal here, Minako-chan. I won't tell." Kyouraku-taichou winked at me. I stared at him for a few seconds before a wide smile spread across my face and I jumped on Matsumoto.

"Ran-chan! Oh I missed you so much!" She patted my head softly.

"I know, Mina-chan, I know..."

Once she'd let go, I turned my gaze upon Hitsugaya. He was still standing there, though he looked less like a board now. Control... control... OH SCREW THIS. I sprinted forward and almost crashed into him, throwing my arms around his neck and burying my face in his shoulder. He stumbled backwards a bit before catching himself. It was a moment before he finally gave into desire and returned my embrace. His arms wrapped around me, binding me to him so tightly I could barely breathe. It's almost as if he thought that if we were close enough, we could meld together. Not that I really cared anymore.

He was here. Right here. Holding me to him. It was so much like a dream... but I knew it was real.

"I missed you..." My voice cracked as unbidden tears fell from my eyes. The onslaught of emotions this meeting brought forth was not something that could be held in very long. He nodded, but didn't say much. I doubted that he could. Faintly, I heard the sound of Matsumoto and Kyouraku-taichou walking off somewhere, but I didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore. Not when we were together like this. There was nothing that I cared about. Nothing, other than him.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, nor did I even care to remember. All I knew was that one moment, we were plastered to each other as if stuck together, and the next, we were being pulled apart by a pair of familiar hands.

"Minako-chan... I'm sorry, but we have to go. There are people coming." Kyouraku-taichou pried me away from Hitsugaya and led me away so quickly that I didn't get a chance to look back before we were out of the library again. My breathing was uneven and labored, as if I'd just decided to take a run around the whole Seireitei. My mind was still blissfully blank, and I looked around dazedly, wondering what had happened. It was a while before Kyouraku-taichou let go of my arm and slowed his pace. I blinked.

"Sorry, Minako-chan... but it would have cost all of us a lot if you'd been caught." I shook my head, smiling.

"No, thank you. I... I needed that..." I kept my eyes downcast. I clutched my hands in front of me, my face still red. There was a silence, but then, I heard Kyouraku-taichou give a small laugh. Surprised, I looked up at him.

"Young love... it's so exhilarating, isn't it?" He winked at me. I blushed furiously and frowned at him, pouting.

"What are you saying, Kyouraku-taichou?" My voice was unsteady and my cheeks were burning. His laughter died away as he adopted a more serious tone.

"You really love him, don't you?" I sighed, then nodded very firmly.

"I don't know... what other word to use to describe this feeling I get when I'm around him. It's not just... the want to be next to him all the time... but the desire to be closer to him, physically, and mentally. I just.... feel so... so... safe and _loved_ when I'm with him. Even if he doesn't say much... I can _feel_ that he cares for me. And... I forget everything else and everyone else when I'm with him... It's just like... nothing else exists other than the two of us, and the emotions and feelings we have for each other... Does that make any sense at all?" I stopped myself from going on into a full-blown rant, and looked up at Kyouraku-taichou again. He was regarding me with a different look in his eyes now. It was almost like... envy, except with no negative connotation. I decided not to say anything.

"I've never seen him act like that around anyone before, not even Hinamori-kun," Kyouraku-taichou said in a quieter tone. I smiled softly to myself.

"And I think he realizes that what he feels for you is so beyond normal fondness and friendship. I don't know why old man Yama can't cut you two some slack. Maybe if both I and Juushirou talk to him, then he'll consider moving you back to the 10th Division." My eyes widened as my heartbeat sped up considerably.

"C-could you really do that?" I asked. He gave me a sideways look then grinned, placing a hand on my head.

"We can try, but I can't promise anyth-" I didn't even wait for him to finish the sentence before throwing my hands around his waist.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!" My voice was slightly muffled by his pink robe, but his large, warm hand was on my back, patting me gently. I looked up at him, eyes bright with happy tears.

"But don't get your hopes up, alright? I don't want you to be disappointed." He placed a hand on my head. I nodded enthusiastically, blinking away the tears.

And he certainly kept his word. The very next day, I came back to my quarters to find Kyouraku-taichou with a very large smile on his face, his eyes twinkling. I stared at him, a bit confused at first.

"Yama-jii has decided he'd 'think about it' for the time being," he said. I continued to stare. What was he talking about? Think about it? Think about wh – oh... OH!

"He... did?" Kyouraku-taichou nodded. I promptly dropped all my books and tackled the man in a hug, squealing the whole way.

"OH thank you thank you thank you thank you, Kyouraku-taichou! You're the greatest, most wonderful, the best – "

"Whoa whoa whoa there, Minako-chan. Don't you think there's someone you're forgetting?" I stopped bouncing and looked at him blankly, then realized just who he was talking about. I ran to the door, turning only to tell Kyouraku-taichou where I was going before racing towards the 13th Division. I don't think I'd ever run so fast in my life. Shinigami and building flashed passed in blurred clumps and scenes. Their words made no sense, nor did I care to stop and decipher them. The 13th Division doors were in front of me in no time, and I was knocking excitedly on them.

"Enter."

I flung open the doors, not even bothering to introduce myself before dashing in and hugging the white-haired man that so resembled my father.

"Ukitake-taichou! Thank you so much for today! I'm so happy! And Kyouraku-taichou said that Yamamoto-soutaichou was going to consider it! Thank you thank you thank you!" I gushed and rambled before unlocking my arms from around his waist and looking up at him with shining eyes.

"Long time no see, Minako-chan." He was so calm, and happy. His eyes were twinkling just as Kyouraku-taichou's had been. His smile was warm as ever, and his face seemed less lined than usual. He seemed better rested and well. I felt warm and fuzzy on the inside, just being in his presence again. It always seemed to calm me down.

"If it were anyone else... I would have refused, but I've seen the way Hitsugaya-taichou looks at you. And I've told you this before, he's never looked at anyone else like that, ever. I think you're just the person he needs by his side." I smiled and hugged him again. He patted my head, chuckling lightly.

"Can I offer you a cup of tea?" he asked as I let go once more. I nodded readily and went to help him make it. Sitting down, and sipping at the hot drink, I felt at peace for the first time in a long while. There was something about the silver-haired man that made me feel at home. Maybe he was his cheery, loving tone, or his forever present smile. Whatever it was, I liked it.

"What did you say to him that made him change his mind?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. Ukitake-taichou took his time to answer, first sipping at his tea, then giving a content sigh before drawing breath to talk.

"You have to understand that Yamamoto-soutaichou has to always think for the better of Soul Society and Seireitei. All of his decisions are based on the benefit of the larger body. So that's what we used. You are an Enchanter, and therefore is our link to the alliance of all the Enchanters. If we were to antagonize you, and it happened to start a war with the Enchanters, then it would be one more enemy to worry about apart from Aizen and the Espada. On the other hand, if we pleased you, and you in turn told your Enchanter friends about it, they would be more inclined to aid us in the upcoming battles. And the powers of the Enchanters are invaluable to us for victory against the Espada and the defeat of Aizen. That is to say, if we have the Enchanters on our side, there is no doubt that victory is secured. So, considering all of this, I'm happy to say that Yamamoto-soutaichou is now considering moving you back to the 10th Division, though I'm not sure what he has to say about your relationship with Hitsugaya-taichou, as that would be breaking one of Seireitei's rules. Not saying he hasn't purposely arranged engagements for political reasons before. It's just been very, _very_ rare." After he finished, I simply stared in awed silence for a few moments before I felt collected enough to speak.

"That... was brilliant! I couldn't have thought up an argument like that in a million years!" Ukitake-taichou laughed again.

"Well, once you've been a Captain for as long as I have, your thought process begins to change, and you start to think in tactics and battles all the time. Kyouraku-taichou had come up with the same argument when we spoke about it together." I sat there, completely stunned. For them to go to such lengths just so I could be together with Hitsugaya... the gratefulness I felt was something that could not be expressed by words. So I simply smiled, a bright smile, that I hope he understood.

"We care about you, Minako-chan, and we don't want to see you hurt, so please, be careful, and don't get too excited. If Yamamoto-soutaichou decided against our idea, then you will be forced to continue staying with Kyouraku-taichou. So don't celebrate just yet. Wait for his official order to come out before doing something you might regret later on." He set down his empty tea-cup. I nodded, albeit much slower, as I considered his words. It was true. All he said was that he'd 'think about it' but nothing else. For all I knew, he could still be that stubborn old man and separate us. All I could do was hope for the best now, and nothing else.

"Thank you again, Ukitake-taichou. You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you so much," I said, setting down my own cup and lifting myself up from the ground. He just nodded. I bent down to collect the tea-cups and take them away.

"You look tired, Ukitake-taichou... please get some rest. I'm sorry for such an intrusion at such short notice..." I said. He grinned at me, a certain twinkle in his eye.

"Why all the formality all of a sudden, it couldn't be you wanted another favor from us..." I blushed, shaking my head hurriedly.

"There's nothing, nothing! I swear. I'm just.... really thankful for the effort that both you and Kyouraku-taichou put in for my sake. For all the trouble I've caused, I don't deserve any of this... yet you do it for me anyways... I'm just... very very thankful..." Ukitake-taichou reached over and put a hand on my shoulder. I lifted my eyes to meet his.

"We don't ask for pay-back... all we ask is that you be happy. That in itself would be more than enough for us," he said. I felt unbelievably happy to have so many people that cared about me. I could only nod. Words were simply not enough, and they never were. It's frustrating.

"Now why don't you head on back, Minako-chan. It has been nice to have you here." Ukitake-taichou looked tired. I nodded and headed towards the door. I felt so happy I could sing. Bowing once more, and saying a final goodbye, I closed the door behind me and bounced back towards the 8th Division.

Today was just... a really good day.

**A/N: whoot. And cheers to another chapter. XDD Yeah, in case you haven't noticed yet... my updating schedule is KINDA screwed up. So it's going to be something like once a month or so... just because school work is REALLY taking up SO much time. T^T But other than that, I don't think there will be INTENSELY long breaks in between my update. XDDD I'll try to get them in ASAP. Kay? XD **

**I love you all! Keep the reviews coming! You know I love them and read them all. 3  
Arelissa **


	13. 12: Wear

**A/N: And.... I'm back with another update. ^^ ENJOY **

Figure Twelve: Wear

//One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art ~ Oscar Wilde\\

My heart was beating irregular patterns against my ribcage but I couldn't blame it. After all, my breathing wasn't exactly normal either. Walking alongside me was Kyouraku-taichou. He kept shooting me furtive glances as if worried about me. I turned my head slightly to give him a small smile. He only put a hand on my back and propelled me forward. We were well before the summons time, but I couldn't sit there and wait any longer. It was nerve-wracking to just pace around the room or drum my fingers against my legs, and finally, Kyouraku-taichou said we could go earlier. It never hurt to be a couple minutes early, right?

"Toushirou..." the name escaped my lips in a gasp. He was standing there too, Matsumoto by his side, in front of the 1st Division doors. Most of the other Captains and Vice Captains were there as well. I simply froze under the intense gaze of everyone there. All of them seemed so mesmerized with my appearance that none seemed to notice the doors slowly open by themselves.

"Well, it seems everyone is here half an hour early today. This is certainly rare..." Soutaichou stood at the end of the hall as always, staff in hand, looking as old and wizened as ever. He waited until everyone took their respective places in line before tapping his staff twice on the ground and the doors slowly slid close with a bang. There was a silence in which everyone just seemed to turn and look at me before looking quickly back at Soutaichou.

"I assume that everyone knows why we are all here today." Soutaichou took one sweeping look around the room before nodding himself.

"Hitsugaya-taichou... step forward please." He did so. It didn't help that he was standing so close to me, only a few people away. I couldn't help be keep glancing at the side of his face, couldn't help but marvel at his.... pure-ness even in this situation. He was always so calm and in control. He always knew what to do and I loved him for it.

"As you all know, the next war is not very far off, and we know that Aizen is planning again to attack us directly as a blow to the King of Soul Society. We need to be ready, and have as many allies as it is possible. The Enchanters will be invaluable to us in this battle. With their aid, victory is, if not ensured, very likely. And for that reason, and not any other, I have considered moving Takamori-san back to the 10th Division, on the condition that Takamori-san swear the allegiance of the Enchanters to us. That in times of need, we will aid each other whatever the costs." He looked at me. I stared right back, frozen in place. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't speak for ALL the Enchanters, much less promise something like this.

"Takamori-san?"

I resisted the urge to look down at my hands and held his gaze as steadily as I could.

"Erm... well I can't speak for all Enchanters, Soutaichou-sama, so..." I trailed off, not really knowing what else to say. Soutaichou nodded in understanding.

"Then do you perhaps know someone who can?" I frowned, thinking hard. Who was there that could speak for all Enchanters in general? I shook my head. There was no one that could speak for all Enchanters. Soutaichou nodded once more.

"I see..." he said. I almost raised an eyebrow. Almost. He gave us what seemed to be a smile under that long beard of his.

"Then... I must choose a different approach. The only other approach. I hope you do not mind, Takamori-san." He actually gave me a small dip of the head. I blinked at him, not knowing what I should do. He never lowered his head for anyone. What was he going to do? It had to be something huge.

"Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Hai."

"Do you love Takamori-san?" My eyes widened and my cheeks turned about 15 shades of red in the time span of three seconds. I lowered my head and twisted my hands together nervously. How was he going to answer?

"Yes, I do." My head shot up. He didn't seem embarrassed at all. He looked... proud, if anything. My mind reeled. What the _hell_ was going on here? Was it some sort of dream or something? This didn't seem like a dream though. I clearly remember waking up this morning. I pinched myself, and silently cursed as pain coursed under my skin. So I _was_ awake. But then... why?

"And Takamori-san, do you love Hitsugaya-taichou?" My brain seems to have hit the pause button. It went completely and utterly blank. How the hell do I answer that question? I closed my eyes for a moment before opening it again.

"Yes." I was surprised at how calm and collected I sounded, for all the turmoil going on inside my head.

"Then it is settled. We will have... a political engagement." Silence followed. It was the loudest, densest silence I've ever heard in my whole life.

A political engagement? What did he... wait... engagement... _engagement_... _ENGAGEMENT?!_

Hitsugaya stood there stiffly, though I noticed that his cheeks were slightly flushed as well. I bit my lip before I said something stupid. Engagement? As in like a _marriage_ kind of engagement? Oh crap. I didn't think he would take it this far. It's not like I don't _want_ to be with Hitsugaya, it's just... an _engagement_?! At _my age_?! Isn't that... illegal or something? But did they even have rules like this in Soul Society? Oh right... Soutaichou _is_ the law. Whatever _he_ says is absolutely fine. I took a deep breath and chanced a look up at Hitsugaya again. He hadn't moved.

"Well? Do you accept, Hitsugaya-taichou?" I kept my eyes on him, half curious, half scared of what he was about to say. But to my surprise, he turned to me and looked me straight in the eye before he began to talk in a very steady, controlled voice.

"If Takamori-san doesn't mind..." My jaw dropped. I didn't care if all the Captains and Vice Captains were watching. Did he just... what I think he did? I could clearly hear my heart beats in my ears now. The colors around the room just became ten times more radiant and everything seemed to slow to a stop.

"Are you... proposing?" My voice was shaking and the shock was evidence in every syllable. He only blinked slowly back at me, his mouth set in a straight line.

"Yes, I believe that's what he's trying to do." Kyouraku-taichou's voice successfully broke the spell that I was under. I tried to control my breathing. He let out a small chuckle and pushed me forward a bit.

"So what's your answer?" he asked. I heard the hint of a jibe in there. I stood there, not knowing what to say, what I _could _say. I wasn't even 20 years old and yet... marriage? Wasn't there something... wrong about this? But then again... Hitsugaya didn't seem much older than me. I knew he was though... maybe hundreds of years older... I never actually bothered to find out his exact age...

"Takamori-san?" I blinked and looked around, realizing where I was, I flushed a deep red and looked back at Hitsugaya. He was still looking at me, though there was something in his eyes that were not there a moment before. A certain light to them that I'd never seen, ever. And it was that that made me open my mouth.

"Yes."

"So you accept this proposal?" I nodded. How could I not? I loved him after all.

"Good, the ceremony will be held after you have graduated from the Academy. We will discuss the specifics when the time comes. For now, you will be moved back to the 10th Division. Please contact your Enchanter comrades and tell them about your current situation and _our situation_," he put particular stress on the last two words. I nodded wordlessly.

"Then I believe we have sorted everything out. Meeting adjourned." Tap tap, went the staff, and the great doors creaked open again, allowing everyone out of the stuffy hall chamber. I stood there, not knowing exactly what to do, or even what to think.

Hitsugaya and I were engaged... ENGAGED... as in... going to get _married_. How did that just happen? I blinked rapidly, trying to piece everything together in my head, but nothing made sense. What was this?

"Takamori?" His voice snapped me out of my trance and I looked up. My eyes searching his before he led me gently out of the hall and towards his Division. As soon as we reached his office, he pulled open the door, ushered me inside and closed the door behind me. Without even a word, I was roughly pulled to him. Shock coursed through my body, as my mind went numb, successfully paralyzing my limbs. But I felt him. His arms wrapped tightly around my waist, his head once again on my shoulder. His scent whirling around me. I could only close my eyes and relish the moment. I was back... after a month. After what seemed to be a surprisingly short amount of time. As we stood there, it felt like I never really left at all, and all those days spent pondering what he was up to was just a far-off dream or something that I'd imagined. It didn't seem.

"Toushirou...?" He hadn't moved and I was beginning to loose feeling in my arms.

"Toushirou?" Finally, he loosened his grip on me and took a step back, but he refused to look up at me.

"I thought... I'd never see you again..." His voice was quiet. Certainly, this was a side of him that he rarely shows, if even at all. He hid it so well behind that uptight and respectable mask of a commanding officer. I laughed, then forced him to look at me.

"I told you... I'd never leave, right?" His eyes bore into my own as his face descended. His forehead connected with mine in a familiar gesture and he ran his hands through my hair. He was smiling. I couldn't help but smile as well, raising a hand and lightly tracing his features. His eyes, his nose, his lips. He kissed my finger softly before closing his eyes and pulling my hand down to his.

"Four years..." he said. I smiled. Yes. It's been four years. Four years since my death and boy am I glad I died... as weird as that sounds. Serendipity would be the best word to describe the events that occurred during those four years, even though I wasn't really 'looking' for anything, and I'd sort of been pushed into the middle of all this Shinigami business. Not like I was complaining though.

"I never thought –"

"That you could fall in love with anyone other than Hinamori?" I said. He opened his eyes. But then he smiled and shook his head lightly.

"Nevermind..." I rolled my eyes.

"It's true, isn't it? You're just too chicken to admit it." I smirked. He raised an eyebrow at me, a smirk playing at his lips too.

"Chicken? You think I'm scared of admitting that I love you?" I blushed at the last three words. I couldn't help myself. I just... wasn't used to hearing him say it so much. I nodded nonetheless.

"Then pray tell, how do I prove it to you?" I bit my lip, blushing hard. I shook my head, not trusting my voice to operate correctly if I tried to use it. Did he _know_ what kind of effect he had on me, or was he just trying to make me nervous?

"Taichou~! Oh! Am I disturbing something? Then I'll just –" It was Matsumoto, although she had a devious smile on her face that told me she knew _exactly_ what she was walking in on. I had a creeping suspicion that she'd been listening behind the door.

"Matsumoto..." Hitsugaya had released me the moment he heard Matsumoto's voice. His voice was that of just controlled rage.

"Ah, Taichou, no need to be so uptight! Today's a great day! We should all go celebrate in the hot-springs!" She bounced into the room and gave me a one-armed hug. I smiled exasperatedly up at her. Nothing could dampen that woman's spirits... nothing. But just for the fun of it, I'll play along, just this once.

"Yeah. The hot-springs sound great. Toushirou-kun, you're coming with us, right?" I grinned. He glared at the pair of us before giving a dejected sigh and accepted. Matsumoto cheered as I watched her jump around.

"But before that, Mastumoto." Hitsugaya raised his voice to something close to a holler, so she could hear him over her own whoops and cheers. "You have to finish all the paperwork on your desk." She came to an abrupt stop and saluted him.

"Sir yes sir!" She said, happiness leaking from her voice, before she bounced over to her desk and began to work at an eyebrow-raising speed. I knew she could get stuff done if she wanted to but this... this was insane!

"Takamori, you should go and get your stuff from the 8th Division," Hitsugaya said as he walked towards his desk. I smiled at his back before saying a quick 'bye' and dashing out of the room.

After exchanging a few lengthy 'thank-you's and 'goodbye's, I was finally able to go back to the 10th Division. Upon arrival, however, I found only Hitsugaya sitting at his desk. It was empty as was Matsumoto's desk. No way... was that way too fast...

"You guys are finished already?" I asked incredulously. Talk about super-human. He nodded, resting his head on his hands in a very uncharacteristic gesture. He almost looked like a tired schoolboy trying to doze off in class.

"How are your grades in the Academy? Did you receive your last exam score back yet?" I frowned. Is this the only thing he wanted to talk to me about? I knew perfectly well that this was one of his ways of displaying affection, but that didn't stop it from annoying me slightly. I sighed.

"My grades are fine. And no, my last exam score has not come back yet, but I'm confident that I did, if not great, at least above average. I studied hard for that exam." He nodded, eyes still closed. I slumped down on the couch and stretched out.

"Have you been keeping up with sword practice?"

"Yep. I don't know if I got any better though... none of the students in my year are... quite as good as you are." I felt a smirk lift my lips on the last part of the sentence. He just nodded.

"We'll need to pick up on that. We don't want you falling behind." I rolled my eyes. Typical Hitsugaya. Always worried about things that he really didn't have to worry about, but then again, that's what made him so endearing and lovable. He tried to pretend like he didn't care.

"Have you read all those books I gave you yet?"

"Yes, and I've gotten some new ones with Kyouraku-taichou's help. These are fascinating." I took up one of the volumes I'd recently checked out. It was about the specifics on channeling reiatsu. And it wasn't limited to only fighting and kidou either. You can do all sorts of stuff with your reiatsu. Like send messages for instance. Apparently in medieval times, Shinigami used to release set amounts of reiatsu in a pattern to convey messages to all their comrades who could feel it. Much like Morse code except with reiatsu pulses instead of sounds and beeps. I don't understand why they don't do that anymore and use the Hell Butterflies. Well, I guess you had to put the butterflies to some use.

"That's good..." his voice was beginning to trail off. I looked up. It looked like was falling asleep. He looked so unbelievably adorable right then that I had to suppress the urge to hug him.

I lifted my legs onto the sofa and turned onto my side so I could see him. My eyes drooped as I too felt tiredness rush over my being. The light seemed to be getting dimmer and dimmer as my consciousness slowly slipped away.

"Mina-chan~!" I shot up from the sofa, but groaned almost immediately as the colors before my eyes contorted and my head gave a resentful throb. Putting a hand up to my head, I slumped backwards onto the arm of the sofa again.

"Ran-chan?" I shielded my eyes from the bright lights above and flipped over.

"Oi, weren't you the one that wanted to go to the hot-springs? Get up and get ready then." I groaned again. Bossy smart-ass. Mumbling curses under my breath, I grudgingly got up and shuffled over to my room to get ready. But just as I was grabbing a change of clothes and brushing my hair, I distinctively heard Matsumoto's voice. Pausing, I frowned, trying to decipher her words.

"... you excited, Taichou?"

"Urusei Matsumoto."

"Ne, ne, Taichou, if we go in the co-ed baths, you might get to see Mina-chan naked!"

I blushed, hard. I heard Hitsugaya sputter as Matsumoto teased him. I unconsciously folded my arms in front of my chest, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Suddenly, I was more aware of myself than ever. I wasn't pretty, or anything special. I wasn't fat, but I wasn't model-skinny either. I didn't have... Matsumoto's assets, nor anything that could be considered out of the ordinary.

I was just... normal. But for someone like him? He was... the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen in my whole life. Didn't he deserve someone equally stunning? Next to him... I was... nothing.

I sighed and reluctantly finished brushing my hair. Grabbing a light summer kimono and a small towel, I headed out of my room. Once out, I found Matsumoto with her stuff, and Hitsugaya walking back in, his clothing and towel in hand.

"Let's go!" Matsumoto eagerly lead the way out of the room and through the now dark corridors and streets of Seireitei. Outside the living quarters of the Divisions, life was bustling and rowdy. Matsumoto babbled away as she led us to what seemed to be her favorite Onsen.

Ducking under the entrance flap, we applied for some lockers and after a slight scuffle over whether or not we should go to the outdoors co-ed bath or the indoors gender separated ones, we decided on the outdoors one. Agreeing to meet outside, we went our separate ways to take showers before entering the hot springs.

As I striped off my clothes and locked them away, Matsumoto talked on and on about how long she's waited for a hot springs trip, and how Hitsugaya refused to let her go because of all the work she's missed. I only listened and laughed at her dramatic stories and poses.

When finally, she _did_ manage to calm down enough, she had to ask the _one_ question that I was hoping and praying she wouldn't ask.

"So... Mina-chan... are you excited about seeing Taichou naked?" I glared at her whilst blushing bright red.

"N-no! I-I mean... y-yes b-b-but... wait... I didn't mean that – I don't really – UGH!" Matsumoto was laughing. She patted my head as she smiled widely down at me.

"Ah... I see how it is. Well, let me tell you now, Mina-chan, you won't be disappointed! Let's just say that... he makes up for his height in... _other ways_." And with that she giggled and skipped off to an empty shower stall, leaving me redder than ever, with my mouth wide opened and a half embarrassed, half shocked look on my face.

"W-what the..! Ran-chan!"

I sighed as I wiped myself dry and put my hair up in a loose bun. Matsumoto still giggling beside me. My face stubbornly refused to cool down, even after the shower. I'd turned the water as cold as I could but... nothing. My cheeks were still as red as an overripe strawberry. I pouted, rubbing my face dry.

"Now, now, Mina-chan, don't be like that. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Taichou wants to see you too!"

I glared at her best I could, given my current condition.

"That doesn't make it any better!" I said with my teeth gritted tightly together. She only chuckled and gave me a small pat on the head. I nearly growled. Wrapping the towel tightly around myself, and making doubly sure that _everything_ that needed to be covered was covered, I followed Matsumoto out into the co-ed hot spring. There wasn't much people there, and it was a fairly large spring, so it looked quite empty. Hitsugaya was already there, in a corner where he sat, his eyes closed, his head tilted back to rest on the rock. His breathing was deep and steady, almost as if he was asleep.

"Taichou!" Matsumoto waved fervently, successfully drawing the attention of almost everyone in the spring. Men did double takes as women looked on with jealousy and spite. Who could blame them? Matsumoto wasn't what you would call... unnoticeable, _especially_ in the hot springs.

"You don't have to shout, I'm not deaf you know." Hitsugaya frowned as he sat up a bit straighter. Matsumoto almost jumped into the water, giving a huge sigh as she was nearly completely submerged in water. I kept quiet, hoping against hope that Hitsugaya wouldn't look my way. But as I lowered myself gently into the water, he turned and his eyes fell onto my face. I couldn't help but notice it flicker down over the rest of my body before he caught himself and looked away quickly. I raised a hand and clutched my towel closer to my body, cheeks rising in color.

"Ah... nothing's more relaxing than a night in the hot springs, ne?" Matsumoto leaned back and closed her eyes, smiling contentedly. I made a noise of agreement as I gradually began to relax. I lowered my hand and leaned back as well, letting my eyes fall half shut, staring at the patterns the steam made. Something touched my arm. I glanced to the side, forgetting exactly who was sitting next to me. Hitsugaya. Realizing who it was, I promptly jumped and pulled my arm away before blushing yet again and frowning, wondering why I was so jumpy. Maybe it was the fact that it was the first time we had been in such close proximity with such attire... or lack thereof.

He seemed indifferent, only sending me a confused look before shutting his eyes once more. Faintly, I heard whispers from across the spring. Straining my ears, I caught a couple sentences.

"Isn't that Hitsugaya-taichou?"

"Yeah, I think it is... but then that's Matsumoto-fukutaichou."

"Yeah... then why is Takamori with them? I didn't think they were _that_ close."

"I know... it's so weird, she hasn't even graduated yet, and she's already so close to members of the Gotei 13. It's so not fair... she must have done something to get in, bribed them or something."

"I think so. I never liked her, she always seemed a bit odd to me, and all that Enchanting stuff... it's abnormal."

"I don't know what Hitsugaya-taichou sees in her... she's so useless."

I bit my lip, looking down at the steaming water. I knew there were people that thought of me like this... but I didn't expect... I guess it was inevitable.

"Oi... you two are loud. If you're going to talk, then keep it to yourselves. Don't disturb everyone around you with your useless gossip." I looked up, slightly surprised. Hitsugaya didn't even open his eyes, but a frown creased his forehead. He opened one eye and gave the pair of a girls a look, at which they both shut their mouths and spent the rest of their time whispering behind their hands and shooting us glances now and then.

Slowly, people left in pairs and groups until there was only the three of us left. We'd come late, it had only been about half an hour, maybe a bit more. Matsumoto didn't look like she planned on leaving anytime soon. We'd agreed to book a room the inn upstairs and head back in the morning, that way, we could stay longer and take a day off. Both Matsumoto and I agreed that a day off would do the white-haired captain some good.

"Takamori...?"

"Hm?" I opened my eyes and looked at Hitsugaya. He was regarding me with a slightly worried look.

"Don't mind them. They're not worth our time." I blinked and stared at him for a few moments, slightly confused, before the events earlier replayed inside my head. I nodded, looking back down at the water. I didn't want to think about it.

"Oi, look at me." I raised my eyes. He met mine with his own and gave me a small smile. I couldn't help but smile back. He was so perfect. I could never ask for anyone better. Indeed, there _was_ no one better out there, of that, I was sure.

And the best part was... he was mine.

**A/N: Okie. So there's another chapter. T^T The series is ALMOST OVER. NOOOOOO. But there are still a couple more chapters to go. So enjoy it while it lasts, ne! **


	14. 13: Transparent

Figure Thirteen: Transparent

//Eyes so transparent that through them, the soul is seen ~ Theophile Gautier\\

"Ah... that was nice..." Matsumoto sighed as she dried off her hair and slipped into her kimono. I paused while drying my own hair and grinned to myself. That certainly was nice. All the knots in my muscles seemed to have loosened up and... Hitsugaya... At this thought, I couldn't help but mentally squeal. He'd stuck up for me...

"Mina-chan? Are you done yet?" Realizing my position, I quickly finished drying my hair and put on my kimono. Running my fingers through my still damp hair, I followed Matsumoto out of the changing rooms and through the lobby of the inn, heading up the stairs and through a rather small hallway to the third to last door. Knocking once, Matsumoto slid it open and stepped inside. There were futons already set for three, and a small table. Supper, or what Matsumoto called a 'Midnight Feast' was set up on the table. Hitsugaya was already sitting there, a slight impatience in his voice as he spoke.

"Why do women take so long with everything? They have to make a scene no matter what they do." He frowned at us as we settled down by the table.

"We girls just like to take our time! We have to look good for all occasions, right Mina-chan?" I shrugged, deciding that not answering would be the safest way to go.

"Itadakimasu!" we chorused, before each digging in to the various dishes laid out before us. It was delicious. Food after a long soak in the onsen really was nice. Matsumoto hummed happily as she proceeded to chomp through the many dishes on the table, while Hitsugaya ate in a more... respectable manner, though he did seem less tense than usual.

I chewed slowly, savoring both the food. It was really moments like these that make me smile when I looked back on things I've done. It was moments like these that I treasured much more than the rest. It was moments like these that were truly worth remembering. Because they were untainted by any foul emotions. They were pure, and nice, and innocent. A constant reminder that it's the little things in life that makes the difference.

"Uwahhhh! I'm so full!" Matsumoto fell backwards onto the tatami mat, arms splayed out and eyes closed, a goofy, satisfied smile on her face.

"Mm... this is so nice! We should do this more often, Taichou!" She sat up and smiled brightly at Hitsugaya, who was wiping off his mouth. He gave her a look before lowering his eyes again.

"We could if someone got their work done on time." He didn't sound angry, or even resentful. It was merely a statement, and any outsider wouldn't have known who this 'someone' was, but I smiled. Matsumoto gave him a sheepish grin before laying back down again. I stood up, carrying the empty plates and stacking them neatly so that the workers could pick it up. Hitsugaya got up to help.

"That was fun," I said, without looking at him. I heard the shuffling of his cloths stop for a moment before it started again. I chanced a glance at him.

"Yes, that was." An ever so faint smile spread across his face. I sighed contentedly and continued cleaning up the plates. Silence. But not an uncomfortable silence, rather... an expectant silence.

"Hey..." we both said, looking up at the same time. I laughed. He gave a small smile.

"You go first," I said. He shook his head.

"Ladies first." I rolled my eyes.

"Such a gentlemen," I said, but the smile was quickly replaced by a slight frown as I addressed the topic on mind... the engagement.

"So erm... about this... engagement thing..." I blushed and quickly looked away. He gave a slight cough, also averting his eyes.

"Yeah... so... uh... this whole thing was... Soutaichou, right?" He nodded quickly. I nodded as well. Silence. This time, it was _quite_ awkward.

"Though I think Kyouraku-taichou and Ukitake-taichou came up with it initially..." he said. I nodded again. I knew it was them... but the _engagement? _

"I don't think they meant _this_ to happen though..." I let my voice trail off. I didn't look up, but I felt more than heard that Hitsugaya had moved. When I _did_ gather enough courage to lift my head, I noticed that he was much closer than before, and was looking at me with a strange, but not an all unfamiliar light in his eyes.

"I think... it would have been like this either way." I was confused. There was something, _something_ in his voice that was ever so different. Something that made him sound... so unlike himself. I knew this side of him, though admittedly, I'd only seen it a couple times myself.

"Toushirou...?" He took a step closer. I stood up, still having to lift my head to meet his eyes. And it wasn't the first time I'd realized just how much he'd grown. He was just a bit taller than me the first time we met and now... he could have put his chin on my head.

"I... I would have... asked for the same sooner or later..." Unlike last time, we held each other's gaze. My heart was thumping in my chest again, so loudly that I would've bet Matsumoto could hear it, wherever she decided to slip off to.

"And... what's that?" A part of me already knew the answer... but just for the sake of hearing him say it. Just for the sake of hearing _his_ voice say those words to me...

"The engagement." The answer was simple, but it had successfully stopped time for that mere moment. Everything literally stopped, and nothing was _alive_ anymore other than the two of us. My heart stopped and my brain stopped. My body felt light, as if I was suddenly filled with air. I felt like I could float off the ground and keep floating till I lay amongst the stars.

"You would have..." I didn't finish the sentence. I couldn't, because at that moment, his lips landed upon mine. It wasn't the first time we'd kissed, but it sure felt like it. It was everything that the books described it to be, and just simple bliss. The butterflies, the warmth that spread through every vein and vessel of your body. The temporary paralysis and then the rush of adrenaline. Everything. Everything and anything that could have been felt at that particular moment in time, I felt it.

It seemed much, _much_ too short. Only a few seconds before he pulled back. Neither of us were out of breath, but both of us were panting. Neither of us were feeling very hot, but both of our cheeks were bright red. It was... something other-worldly we had just experienced. I was sure of it.

And the best part of it was... there was no one to stop us this time. Nothing to stand in between... or so we thought. But we didn't realize it then, nor for a long time afterwards...

A week had passed since the hot-spring weekend and things went back to normal, or as normal as it ever got. The Captains and Vice Captains had to swear that they would not let out information about our... engagement until it was so disclosed by Soutaichou, but the news leaked out anyways, as we knew it would, but luckily, the students at the Academy did not seem to be privileged enough to know this 'top-secret' information. School went on for me, and Hitsugaya and I picked up 'training' again. Once again, I had to face _him_ on the field, and not someone else who knew just as much about sparring as I did, and maybe even less. I'd forgotten just how powerful he was, and let me tell you, it was a brute awakening for the both of us. Hitsugaya, needless to say, was none too pleased.

"I thought you said you kept up with practice!" He said after one _very_ hectic sparring session. I was sore all over and had various bruises and cuts. He was fuming. I only rolled my eyes and scowled.

"Well I _told_ you didn't I? No one there was as good as you are. They weren't even close! Some of them had trouble holding the sparring sword! How did you expect me to improve like that?" He only shook his head and heaved a heavy sigh.

"You're too uptight about all this. I'm doing fine in school! My grades aren't bad and all my teachers say I'm improving!" It ticked me off how he was the only one not satisfied. Heck even _I_ was satisfied. VERY satisfied I might add. I didn't think I could do this good, but it's all thanks to him in the end. I knew that deep in my heart. It was all because of him.

"You got three problems wrong on your last test. How is that good?" He rounded on me as soon as we closed the door of the 10th Division office. I glared up at him and bit my lip. How many times did I have to explain before he understood?

"It was out of 100 problems! I still placed as one of the highest in the class!"

"I looked over those problems and the mistakes you made, they were all silly mistakes! If you'd just paid a bit more attention, you would have gotten them all right!"

"Well _sorry_ I'm not the perfect person you want me to be!"

He froze. Suddenly, it seemed like he was at a loss for words. I was still glaring up at him. Man, did that boy have stick up his ass or what? What the hell was his problem anyways? A 97 out of 100 was a perfectly good score! Not even half the class got that high.

"I never... said I wanted you to be... perfect." His voice had changed, and all of a sudden, he seemed remorseful for the words he'd said. I relaxed too. I shouldn't have said that. I knew he was only worried, but... it was on the spur of the moment and I'd...

"Sit down and let me look at your wounds." He turned very abruptly and went to get the medicine kit. I smiled to myself and sat down, rolling up my sleeves. He returned with bandages and a sufficient amount of the same ointment he'd used on me before, which he applied to all the cuts and bruises he could before taping or bandaging them. All of this was done in careful silence. I watched him as he worked through all the wounds he could, each move deliberate and delicate. He knew exactly what he was doing, and exactly how he should do it. I smiled to myself again.

"Thanks..." I said as he finished and began packing all the medicines back into the medicine box.

"Hn." Was his only reply before he went to put away the box. I waited patiently. When he came back, he avoided my eyes and went straight for his desk. I sighed and leaned back onto to the sofa, enjoying the silence.

"Did you finish all your school work for the day?" I told him I did. He only nodded.

"I hear there's another exam next week, have you been studying?" I told him I have. He nodded again.

"I'll see how far you got."

And from then on, he helped me with everything he deemed appropriate. Whether it be written exams, weekly quizzes, or physical tests and different challenges and assignments on reiatsu control. Kidou was especially difficult for me since my powers were linked with the 'enchantment' of the air and was suppressed in Soul Society. I could never fully control my reiatsu and whenever I tried, disastrous things happened.

"Eek! I'm so sorry!" I said as another piece of rock blew up dangerously close to where we were standing. Hitsugaya only sighed and ignored my apologies, going onto explain the specifics on reiatsu control.

"Now try that again," he said after he finished a lengthy explanation of how concentration and the focusing of one's reiatsu to one point are of the utmost importance. I nodded, a bit afraid of the results, closed my eyes, and concentrated as hard as I can.

_BOOM! CRASH! _

"Ack! Sorry!" I covered my mouth as Hitsugaya jumped out of the way of a falling boulder, which smashed into the ground. I felt the earth tremble beneath my feet and saw the dust and rubble fly up to mix with the air. This is _never_ going to work...

"Concentrate, _concentrate!_ Focus on moving all of your reiatsu to the palms of your hands and forcing them out. Don't forget the incantation." He moved behind me, placing a hand on my back. His touch was surprisingly calming to me. Took a deep breath and screwed my eyes shut before focusing all my power to the palms of my hands. I chanted the incantation and heard a boom, but this time, when I opened my eyes, I did not scream out apologies. In fact, I didn't even scream at all. There was a hole in the target. Admittedly, it was still quite a bit from the middle, but at least I hit the target this time, and did not cause some random object to combust.

"I hit it!" I said, turning joyously on the spot and bouncing up and down. I smiled brightly at Hitsugaya. He only gave me an exasperated grin and shook his head. But he smiled nonetheless.

"You're hopeless, you are..." he said as I whooped and danced around. However, a familiar figure made me pause in my movements.

"R-Ryouta-kun?" The sandy-haired boy was walking my way. Surprised was an understatement for what I felt right there and then. It was the weekend, so _nobody_ usually came to the school training grounds. The whole thing was empty other than Hitsugaya and me, and now Kimura. What the _hell_ was he doing here? We were banking on not being spotted or disrupted.

"Ah, Minako-san! Doing some training over the weekend? Or... not..." he said as he spotted Hitsugaya behind me. He bowed very deeply while Hitsugaya inclined his head politely.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Hitsugaya-taichou," Kimura said once he raised his head. There was a huge smile on his face, and when Hitsugaya didn't say anything other than a grudging 'Nice to meet you too,' he turned back to me.

"Ne, Minako-san, when are we going on that date you promised me. It was quite a while ago, but I remember you saying something about how you couldn't go, and you'd make it up to me later." I mentally face-palmed. Right... about that. To tell the truth, I'd completely forgotten about him in all this recent... stuff. What with moving back to the 10th Division and the... engagement... I didn't really have time to think about trivial things like a promised date.

"Uh... I... don't know... When do you have time, Ryouta-kun?" I asked, fully aware of the annoyed expression on Hitsugaya's face. It made me feel immensely happy and worried at the same time that he was jealous of Kimura. Happy because it meant he really cared, not that I didn't know that anyways, and worried because I was afraid of what his reaction to all this might be. I didn't want to get into another fight with him. Better play it safe for now.

"Any time is fine with me!" I refrained from rolling my eyes.

"Well, I don't really know either. How about I get back to you on that? For now, I really have to go. Hitsugaya-taichou and I had some matters to... erm... attend to..." I lied quickly and before he had a chance to say much else, began to walk out of the training grounds as fast as I could without appearing suspicious, Hitsugaya following behind me after another dip of the head towards Kimura.

"Who was he?" Hitsugaya asked, trying to make it sound like a flyaway question of now real importance, but I noticed a small edge to it. I almost giggled.

"Nobody. Just a friend from school," I said with the hint of a tease. He narrowed his eyes. I simply shrugged and kept on walking.

"_Just_... a friend?" I noticed that he tried not to put too much emphasis on the first word, but failed miserably. I mentally laughed. He was jealous. There was no doubt about it. It's not something you see very often, after all. I nodded. He was still looking at me with that same distrustful gleam in his eye. I rolled my own and kept walking.

"Believe what you will then." He seemed unconvinced. Well I wasn't about to go on a huge defense of myself if he wasn't even going to trust me with matters such as this. But then I thought back on it and realized I didn't trust him either. Not when I'd caught him talking to Hinamori. The girl still made me slightly uncomfortable, and I could tell that the feeling was mutual. She didn't like me very much either. I don't know why, but she always gave me a foreboding feeling. I was extra careful around her, not to mention extra observant. Anything she did that was out of the ordinary, or if it seemed so to me, I would take note and keep it in the back of my mind, only to ponder over it for hours upon hours later when I was all alone in the confines of my bedroom. There was one thing in common between the two of us though, the thing that both brought us 'together' in a sense and kept us apart. Hitsugaya. He was the center around which all of our actions around each other rotate. And he was the reasoning behind out inability to be more than just forced-friendly around one another. It wasn't his fault, naturally, and be probably didn't even know of this silent 'war', should we call it for lack of a better word, that went on.

The more I thought about this, the more guilty I felt. Although Hitsugaya had told me on more than one occasion that he loved me, and had _shown_ it to me under various situations as well, I couldn't help but mistrust his actions around Hinamori. She had so much more 'right' to him than I did. It's this cycle all over again. Insecurity, confrontation, explanation, reassurance, and a hanging doubt. Then it starts all over again as that doubt grows. As much as I loved Hitsugaya and as much as I treasure the bonds between us, I was growing tired of being like this all the time. Did we really 'love' each other as much as we claim when we can't even bring ourselves to do something so simple as to trust the other not to cheat with a member of the opposite sex?

I mean, I don't get nervous when he's with any other girl, because I know that they wouldn't _dare_ to do anything out of the ordinary. Hitsugaya's much too sharp not to notice any of their advances. Matsumoto is just out the question. They have too much of an... odd relationship for it to turn into anything else. But Hinamori. She satisfied all the standards of a potential opponent. And what do you know... she's become one. At least in my eye.

Before I knew it, my thoughts had taken us back to the 10th Division where Hitsugaya held the door opened for me as I walked inside. I glanced at him. He still seemed slightly bothered by our little encounter with Kimura.

"Toushirou." He paused on his way to the desk and turned. I looked him dead in the eye. I wasn't smiling. He turned to face me. He knew I was serious.

"Do you trust me?" He frowned and took a few steps forward.

"Why would I not?" I also took a few steps forward so that we were almost face to face. I searched his eyes. I knew he wasn't lying, but it never hurt to check.

"Then why do you seem so worried?" He didn't answer and seemed to ponder the question. Then he sighed and turned away, shaking his head.

"I... I don't know." I smiled softly to myself before taking a few swift steps to him, wrapping my arms around him, and pressing my face to his back. I felt him stiffen and then loosen. He made no move to pry me away. He didn't move, only stood there and let me hug him. I buried my face in his back, taking deep breaths. I felt his heartbeat under my hands. It was slow and steady, strong... I smiled again.

When finally I did let go, he didn't turn, only resumed the walk to his desk as if nothing had ever happened, but I saw that ghost of a smile that danced across his lips for a swift second before disappearing. I knew he got the message.

A few more weeks passed like this. Calm and pleasing. But I knew it was all too good to last. And no sooner did I realize this then things began to happen. More specifically, I began having reoccurring dreams. They were not nightmares, nor were the particularly good or funny in any way. They were just that. Dreams.

It always started with me being on a wide, grassy expanse of land. The sky was always cloudless and blue. The wind was always breezing by softly, stirring the grass, so that they rippled like the waves in the sea. Then, I would hear this chirping, very softly at first, but louder and louder the more I looked for it. The dream built upon itself, like a book, chapter by chapter, scene by scene. Every night I got a bit more out of the dream than I did the night before. It didn't scare me, more like... entranced me to a point where I would do nothing but think about it for the whole day. But tonight... it finally revealed its secret.

_I was standing on that same wide expanse of the blue-green grass. The sky was blue, and the wind was light. The grass danced just as it normally did. The chirping started, and I began to look around for it. The harder I looked, the louder it became, until I was sure that whatever animal was creating the sound was right next to me. I looked right, nothing. I looked left. Nothing. Then, I looked up. _

_And there it was. A bird. Not the biggest bird I'd ever seen, nor the smallest, but definitely the most beautiful. The plumage was azure blue with only the smallest patch of light orange on its chest. The down feathers were white and fluffy. It twittered and it cheeped, fluttering around. It was quite the energetic little animal. I couldn't help but laugh as it did flips and twirls in the air, dancing around my head. _

"_What a cute little thing..." I said. It let out a string of shrill cheeps and proceeded to try and land on my head. I giggled. _

"_I like you." I almost had heart failure. Gasping, I put a hand over my heart to calm its frantic beats. The bird had taken flight again, hovering in front of my face. _

"_I'm sorry, did I give you a scare?" It sounded concerned. I looked up at it, hand still over my chest. The bird was talking to me... I blinked at it a few times before shaking my head. It seemed content with my answer and did a once around of my head before coming to a stop in front of my face. _

"_Well then, do you like me too?" I stared at it. Not really knowing what to say. I nodded. What else could I have said to answer that question from such an adorable little creature? It gave a happy 'tweet' and did a summersault. _

"_Alright then! Will you wield me? Then we can be together forever!" I blinked at it. Wield? What did it mean 'wield'? I couldn't _use_ that little bird for anything... could I? _

"_Let me introduce myself. My name is – "_

"Takamori! Get your ass out of bed _now!_" I jumped and scrambled out of bed, successfully getting tangled up in the sheets, tripping, and landing on my face. I groaned and pulled myself up, rubbing my bruised nose.

"Ow..."

"Oi! Takamori!" The door banged open and a very frustrated-looking Hitsugaya stood there with his arms crossed.

"Get out of –" He paused as he saw the ungainly position I was in, and barely suppressed a snicker. "What happened?" I glared at him, straightening out the tangled sheets and rubbing my nose, which was still throbbing.

"I fell out of bed and landed on my face because you were yelling at me!" I said resentfully, looking away as a laugh escaped his lips. He walked in and sat down next to me, removing my hand from my face and examining my nose. Our faces were closer than they should be, but he didn't seem to notice as he leaned in further still, a small frown on his face.

"It doesn't look broken or anything. Just a bruised." I nodded, raising my hand again to gingerly touching my nose. I winced as pain ricocheted through it. Pushing it away, I focused on the subject of matter that I desperately wanted to talk to Hitsugaya about. The dream.

"Um... Toushirou?" He paused, turning back to face me. A small frown creased my forehead as I tried to choose the proper phrasing for what I was about to say.

"I had a... dream last night. And um... it was kind of... different from regular dreams." I looked down at my hands, embarrassed. What happened to the carefully thought out words that I'd prepared? Why did they all fall apart the moment I opened my mouth to speak?

"A dream?" I heard the perplexity in his voice. He backtracked a few steps and sat back down on the edge of my bed. I nodded.

"There was a bird, and then it started talking to me. It was asking me if I..." oh what's the word it used, "Oh yeah, it asked me if I would 'wield' it." I said, suddenly remembering. I looked up at him. He was frowning, as if considering my words. I went on.

"I was confused, because you can't 'wield' an animal. You can only do to objects, right?" He shook his head, successfully quieting me. I simply looked on as he got up and began to make small rounds in front of my bed.

"I think... that was your Zanpakutou spirit."

**A/N:** And there you have it. Another update. ^^ not THAT slow, right? Anyways! Review if you'd like. ^^ There's only one more chapter to go before the series ends! OHNOES! XD


	15. 14 : Left

**A/N: I honestly thought I'd never update this again... but apparently I was wrong. LAST CHAPTER. ENJOY **

Figure Fourteen: Left

//Everything is perfect in the universe - even your desire to improve it. ~Wayne Dyer \\

Two weeks had taken me a long way. Two weeks since I found out about my Zanpakutou spirit. Its name was Shiratori, meaning 'White Bird'. I didn't quite understand it as her feathers are blue. I thought Aoitori have made more sense. She tried to explain it to me, but it went a bit too much into the technical side. Something about zanpakutou being able to 'purify' hollows, and that's why it was 'white' instead of 'blue'. I finally told her to just stop before I got too confused. When it was just casual conversation though, I called her 'Kohane', meaning 'small feathers'. I thought it suited her. She rarely calls me 'Master', but more of 'Ane-chan', meaning 'Miss' or 'Sister'. Either way, we'd grown very fond of each other in the 14 days since we'd met. I did not yet know her powers; all I knew was that she was of the wind element. Hitsugaya had begun to teach me about the Zanpakutou. He said this education was usually conducted during the second year of school, but since I'd already discovered the name of my Zanpakutou, it was necessary to start now.

"Your zanpakutou is a fragment of your soul, and thereby it will reflect you as a person." He smirked here as I blushed. I'd told him it was a small, chirrupy bird. Somehow, he found it immensely amusing. And since then, he'd been using that as a topic of which to throw jibes and taunts.

"And naturally, if you change as a person, the Zanpakutou will also undergo this change. That is what discovering your Shikai and Bankai is. Everybody grows, and finds new 'pieces', should we call it, of themselves. Shikai is the first piece, and Bankai is the second, harder to obtain, piece. Although I must admit, Shikai will be quite difficult too," he said, pacing up and down in front of me as I sat on the sofa listening, eyes following his movements lazily.

'_Boy, he talks a lot doesn't he?'_ I rolled my eyes and almost laughed at Kohane's curiosity. She seemed much like a little child to which everything was new and interesting.

'No, just when it comes to technical stuff. He's usually quite as a rock, and always grumbling about one thing or another.' I said. Kohane gave a twittering laugh. I let a small smile slide onto my face.

"Oi, Takamori, are you even paying attention?" he snapped. I quickly nodded, focusing once more on his monologue about zanpakutou and their various forms, uses, levels, and what not. I found it genuinely interesting, but everything just seemed funnier with Kohane around. Maybe it's because of her childish nature, or her high voice that seemed to show all the emotions one such being as her could possibly feel.

'_I like him.'_ The sentence was simple. I was not surprised. After all, if Kohane really was a part of my soul, then it would be only natural that she liked him. I liked him. No, 'like' is far too light a word to use for what I felt towards the white-haired captain. I'm not even sure 'love' would cover it all. But I knew that Kohane's attraction to him was merely that of interest. He was something that she hadn't seen before, and he wasn't like everyone else. At least not from my, or our, perspective. He was one in a million, and Kohane liked that about him.

'I know. I like him too.' Kohane paused for a moment before she spoke again.

'_No. You love him. That's quite different from 'like', Ane-chan.'_ I smiled. Of course, she was right. I made a noise of consent but didn't have time to say much else as Hitsugaya had just finished with his lengthy explanation of zanpakutou.

"So, any questions?" I shook my head. Truth be told, I hadn't heard a thing he said past 'Shikai will be quite difficult too.' But I thought it wise to pretend like I did anyways. He didn't have his morning tea today. Matsumoto had forgotten to make it for him and I woke up too late. He, of course, didn't bother to make it himself, and had refused when I offered to make him some, saying that he'll just have it with lunch. But without his morning tea, I knew his temper would be abnormally short today, and just the slightest flare could set it off. The subsequent explosion would be monumental. I doubt the 10th Division building would survive if that happened.

"Good." He glanced at the clock on the wall. It marked three minutes to noon. Almost lunchtime. He turned back to me and heaved a great sigh. The paperwork had been finished early today, and we'd all decided that he should take the day off. It was Sunday after all, and Matsumoto had, on some odd whim, finished all their paperwork for the day. It was a rarity that could be compared to the appearance of comets in the night sky.

"Ne, Toushirou...?" He had closed his eyes and was lounging on the sofa next to me; his head tilted back, a solely relaxed expression on his face. My voice did nothing to faze him. He didn't even open his eyes.

"Hn?"

"How old are you?" The question seemed to have stumped him. His eyes flickered open and his forehead creased with a light frown. Apparently, no one had asked him such a question before. He gave me a sidelong look before turning his gaze back up to the ceiling. Closing his eyes again, he blew out a long breath.

"Much older than you are in human years..." his voice trailed off. I looked down at my hands, thinking. Of course he was much older than me. I'd known that from the beginning, but just _how much_ older?

"Yeah... I know... but how much?" He didn't answer for a moment, then shifted so that his hands were placed behind his head like a pillow.

"I turned 148 last December." It came out as a sigh, though I don't know why. He seemed to not like his age. Maybe it was because he was the youngest of the Gotei 13, or maybe it's just because he disliked being young. Either way, he didn't seem too happy with his age. I gave him a sideways smile, which he saw nonetheless , although his eyes were half closed.

"That's to be expected, your birthday being in December I mean... It fits so well. What day is it?" I asked. I'd never bothered to find out the exact date of his birthday.

"The 20th of December." I counted the months on my fingers. There was only three more months left before his birthday. My eyes lit up and a smile split my face.

"There's only three more months! How do you want to celebrate it?" I asked, more eager than I should have been, considering the event was still a ways off. But the prospect of celebrating his _birthday_ with him was something that I had not thought of before, and now that I have, the infinite possibilities as to what we could do was suddenly spread out before me like the stars in the Milky Way, just waiting for me to go and grab one. My enthusiasm, however, was met with nothing but a scoff.

"Tch... You do what you want. I don't want to make such a huge fuss out of it." But I wasn't listening. In my head, I was calculating on what day of the week it would be on. My grin grew impossibly wider as I realized that it would land on a Sunday, his usual day off. I had to hold back a squeal. He can't use paperwork as an excuse then. This is going to be awesome.

"Oi, are you even listening?" He was ticked off. I could tell, not that I much cared right at the moment. My mind was racing passed all the choices of the things we could do. It was only nine days from the Coming of New Year Festival that took place every year. Matsumoto had told me it lasted for about a week, and it started two days before the last day of the year, and went till five days after. I didn't want to combine the Coming of New Years with his birthday, so we'll have to do something special that isn't connected to the Festival. But what could we do?

"Takamori!" I jumped. I'd been so deep in thought that Hitsugaya's voice had not reached me until now. He was sitting upright, and his expression was that of someone who was _slightly_ pissed off.

"W-what?"

"Pay attention when someone speaks to you. It's considered very rude if you don't." He closed his eyes again, and leaned back, hands behind his head, resuming his original position. I rolled my eyes. And I had to do something about that stick up the poor boy's ass. It's not healthy, acting like Kuchiki-taichou before he turns 200.

"Why are you asking all of these questions all of a sudden anyway?" he asked. I shrugged, kicking my feet a bit in boredom.

"Because I feel like I've known you for a long time, but at the same time, I don't know much _about_ you. So... it seems weird to me. Besides, I doubt you know my birthday, anyway," I said, dejectedly. He'd never asked, and he never seemed to be interested in anything other than work. He never asked about me, just about school and how my scores were. I felt like he didn't care, though at the same time, I know he does. He just... shows it differently than how I'm used to. That doesn't stop it from hurting though.

"January 14." My head snapped up. How did he...? He smirked at the look on my face.

"You thought I didn't know?" I nodded, dumbfounded. But he never asked. We've never talked about my birthday, or anything near it. So how did he manage to find out?

"I asked your brother. I have to admit, he was a bit reluctant at first, but I managed to get it out of him in the end." There was hint of pride in his voice. It was evident that Onii-chan had put up a decent fight to keep this piece of information from him. I gave him a half exasperated, half amused look.

"Anything else you got out of him about me?" I asked, a challenge clear in my voice. His smirk grew wider as he opened both eyes, but continued to stare up at the roof. There was a moment's silence in which I briefly wondered whether or not he actually threatened Onii-chan with anything before he spoke and cut off my train of thoughts.

"Yes. He said you liked the winter." His voice was softer than usual. It was kinder, and perhaps, more like him, but in a rather out-of-character way. Thinking about this oxymoron-ish comparison, I gave him a small smile. It was true. I did like winter. The cold made me feel exhilarated... alive. I also loved snow. It was so beautiful, like nature decided to take out a pure white coat and drape it over everything. During winter, you could sit by the window with a good book, and a fire crackling behind you, watching the snow fall from the sky. It was such a cozy thought.

"I love the winter." As I said this, he reached out a hand and touched my cheek. I closed my eyes at the contact. It was so gentle and... loving. When I opened my eyes again, I found his looking directly into my own, filled with emotions that were formerly unknown to him. And with a small jolt, I realized that he'd changed. He was no longer the Hitsugaya Toushirou I met nearly five years ago, the one that gave out strict orders and refused to recognize the word 'fun'. He was... softer. Kinder.

The remainder of the month passed by without so much ripples as to floods of sparring lessons. Now that I'd successfully discovered my Zanpakutou, Hitsugaya seems to have taken that as a sign that it was time to take the training to the next level. At first, I thought it was going to be the same, just fighting with makeshift swords and such. But no, by the time we hit our 10th lesson, he pulled out Hyourinmaru. I was scared senseless when he pointed it at me and told me to draw my own sword, which, up until now had been safely sheathed and kept at my side. The following lesson had been horrific. I could only run around like an idiot, trying to avoid his blows until he finally stopped and taught me how to block and defend, while looking for holes in the enemy's moves.

"Of course, a real enemy would give you many more opportunities that I do," he said, rather boastingly. I rolled my eyes and picked up my Zanpakutou, twirling it around in my hand. So far, that's the only thing I've completely mastered, twirling my Zanpakutou. I was pretty proud of myself too. I could do lots of tricks and stuff. Hitsugaya only scoffed it off every time I tried to show him some new 'move' I'd learned. It was like Debate class all over again. All you learn to do is twirl pencils. Here, I'm learning to twirl the Zanpakutou.

"You know, showing off how many times you can make your Zanpakutou spin before you catch it again is not going to help you in battle," he said sternly. I shrugged, tossing it around. Kohane liked the tricks too. She thought they looked cool. I guess she really is part of me. He sighed, sheathing his own sword.

"I guess there would be no point in continuing today. Your concentration is at its end, and forcing you to keep on going would only result in mental injuries for the both of us. Come on. I've still got work to do." He led the way out of the training arena. On the way out, we passed a group of girls who were whispering and pointing in our direction. By now, I had grown used to this kind of behaviour and had mastered the art of shutting out whatever it was that they were saying. It didn't bother me so much anymore. So what if they didn't like me? It wouldn't hurt me any. I've never sought after popularity anyways. But now that I was forced into the lime-light, and not a very flattering lime-light might I add, it bugged me less and less. Surprisingly though, some of their words got through to me.

"Who does she think she is, hogging Hitsugaya-taichou-sama?"

"Yeah, I know. I bet she tried to seduce him or something. Pft, she's not even that pretty. I don't see what Hitsugaya-taichou-sama sees in her. She's not even that powerful."

"Tch... powerful? Are you kidding me? She can't even perform the most basic of Kidou. What powerful?"

"Oi..." Hitsugaya had paused on his way out the arena. He didn't turn, but the girls stopped immediately, all looking at him with a mixture of apprehension and admiration. Were they the 'fan club' Hino had told me so much about? Judging by the looks on their faces, they were. Hino had told to avoid them at all costs, because they are 'under the pitiful delusion that each and every one of them is suited for Hitsugaya-taichou,' or so Hino says. I personally thought Hino was exaggerating.

"You guys are loud... if you have something to say, then keep it to yourselves. We don't need your useless gossip around here." Then, he continued on his way, but not before turning and gesturing for me to follow. I took a quick glance at the girls as I hurried to catch up with Hitsugaya. They were whispering amongst themselves while glaring at my back. I sighed.

"Don't mind them. They're not worth it." He wasn't looking at me, rather staring resolutely ahead, an annoyed expression on his face. I almost grinned at his indignation on my behalf. It meant more than the world to me. Of course, I wasn't about to tell him that... maybe in the future though. If he ever asks...

The rest of the month passed by uneventfully, well... unless you count Matsumoto getting dreadfully drunk and trying to make Abarai and Hisagi do some sort of strip-tease. Actually, it was quite comical when Hitsugaya found them. Abarai was half naked, and Hisagi was in the middle of taking off his pants. Matsumoto was laughing so hard I was surprised she could still breathe, and there were sake bottles and glasses scattered all over the tables and floors. Hitsugaya's face turned about five shades of red in the span of three seconds, and he completely blew up in Matsumoto's face. I don't think I've ever seen him so hysterically angry in my life. His face kept changing colors as he yelled at Matsumoto, who only brushed off his insults and orders like flies.

It was mid November, and the holidays were only a month away. Everyone was getting pretty excited, and there were murmurs of a big surprise celebration at school. But, the holidays also meant: mid-term examinations. Hitsugaya had never come down on me so hard as he did now. I studied so much that I barely had time to breathe. I was drilled on the most specific of topics, such as the technicalities of how reiatsu can be channeled through irregular objects. True, I'd studied all of this before in class, but it was only in passing. And Hitsugaya was none too happy when I couldn't come up with an answer for half the questions he asked.

"This is how you've been studying for your mid-year exams?" he asked in a dangerous voice. I sighed, forcing down the urge to roll my eyes. It was the first year, they weren't about to test me on subjects so detailed. Why is he making such a giant fuss out of this?

"You've been studying for half a year, and you don't know such common topics?" I raised an eyebrow. I had had enough of this. Common? What common? _No one _in my year even knew _half_ the things that I did and they were getting the same marks I was.

"Are you sure you didn't mistake the practice book from the _last_ year for the _first_ year? Because these don't seem like the questions they would ask for _first_ years." I said bluntly. There was a thick silence. I could feel the air getting denser and denser until finally, the explosion came.

"You think that I mistook the questions? Do you? That I'm being too hard on you? Well then, you can go study by yourself, and leave me out of it!" He slammed the study guide down on the table, stood up, and stormed out of his office in a flurry of white and green. I turned, shouting at his back.

"It's not like I ever asked for your help anyways!" I huffed, folding my arms tightly in front of my chest, a pain growing steadily in my heart as my throat constricted. It's been such a long time since he'd yelled at me, and I didn't like the feel of it. It's true that I never asked for his assistance in studies, but I've always _wanted_ it. It gave me another reason to be with him, to be near him.

'Great... just great...' I slumped back onto the sofa, my head lolling back onto the headrest, arms limp at my side. I frowned, closing my eyes. Hitsugaya's angry face was still clearly imprinted behind my eyes. I saw his face contort with rage and hurt before he stormed out of the office once again behind my eyelids. What had I done now? All he was trying to do was help me. Why couldn't we just sort it out without turning everything into a huge fight? I knew this was going to be a long one.

'_Let him cool off for a bit... he'll come back soon...' _I sighed at Kohane's words. Easy for her to say. She hasn't had to live through one of these rows has she? That boy could hold a grudge to the end of the millennium if he wanted.

'_You're exaggerating again... he's apologized before, hasn't he?'_ I rolled my eyes and gave a sardonic scoff, sitting up straight again.

'Right... only after _I_ apologized to _him_ first.' This successfully quieted Kohane, leaving me to my own thoughts. It's not as if I wanted to start these things, it's just... my stupid mouth just blurted out whatever I was thinking as if the filter between my brain and my mouth was broken. If I'd just learned to keep my big mouth shut, this wouldn't have ever happened. And now I had to shove my pride and go find him to say sorry... once again. I was always doing this... but then again, I was always the ones who start the fights anyways. It's always been my fault and he's just been on the receiving end of everything. He had every right to be angry with me...

I picked up the book he left on the table and opened it. My eyes widened as I flipped through the pages. Each and every one of them was marked and annotated in Hitsugaya's handwriting. They were... lesson plans and notes for himself so that he wouldn't forget... to explain them to me. He has all this paper work and yet...

A tear splattered across the pen marked pages, blurring some of the words. I quickly closed the cover to prevent from further ruining his writing. He's doing all this for me and on top of that, he has a whole division to look after. Another tear made its way down my cheek. Guilt was slowly creeping up my body, shredding me apart as it swept over my insides. I fell to my knees, crying. I was such an idiot... _such an idiot_.

"Takamori?" I put a hand over my mouth to stifle my sobs. I didn't have the energy to get up and run to my bedroom like I wanted. Instead, I only sat there, trying to keep the tears from falling, but to no avail. They kept coming.

Footsteps, faster and faster until I saw the shadow of a very familiar someone towering over me. A warm hand placed itself on my shoulder.

"Takamori?"

I launched myself into him, letting go of all the pent up emotion in my heart. I clutched at his haori like a drowning man to a life boat, tighter and tighter until I was sure that it would rip.

"I'm s-so sorry... I di-didn't know... you were wo-working so hard... and y-you still m-made su-ure that I would..." I couldn't go on. My voice didn't allow me to. Instead, I buried my face in his shoulder, biting my lip. I felt his arms wrap around me, a gentle hand on my back, the other in my hair.

"Sh..." He didn't say anything else until I had quieted down. There was no need... He understood, as did I. It was one of those moments where words would only get in the way of things and silence had its way of conveying messages. As he held me against him, I felt as if we were melding into one. Sinking into one another to become one whole being. It's as if I could feel his heart beating next to mine, in harmony with my own.

"I'm sorry..." I said, raising my head slightly so that my lips were next to his ear. My voice was soft and slightly cracked. He only nodded. "Toushirou..."

December. A month of holidays and fun. Also, the month of _his_ birthday. It was already the 15th. Only five more days before that special day, and I still had no idea what to get him. Walking through the bustling corridors of the Academy, I wondered when I could get Matsumoto to come help me pick out a present.

My class was sparring, which was really only a block of time when you could go to the school training grounds and practice your sword skills. So far, no one in my year has even got a zanpakutou yet, so needless to say, when they found out I did, there was an almighty uproar. Rumors spread like wildfire with a dry wind and those that wouldn't even come near me before all of a sudden found me immensely interesting.

They bombarded me with questions about my zanpakutou. What were its powers? How did I come to discover it? How long did it take? Did I feel any different afterwards? I tried to answer them the best I could, but I felt a bit claustrophobic with all of these people around me all the time. I liked a quiet life... or as quiet as my life could ever get because it's not entirely very normal. Still... being treated like some celebrity obviously wasn't something I was very fond of. I was never attention-seeking, and it's just my luck that I happen to attract an unhealthy amount of attention wherever I go. Whether it be good or bad... well, that depends on what fate feels like throwing on me for the day. Let's just hope it gets bored of this soon, because I was about to crack.

"Takamori-san!" I turned. A girl to whom I'd never spoken to before was jogging towards me. I recognized her from one of my classes. Yoko... her name was. Izumi Yoko. I distinctly remembered her whispering to her little group of friends about me a few weeks back, but now, she looked as if she was most excited to see me. I _wonder_ why...

"Izumi-san." I gave a respectful little tip of the head. She laughed and flapped her hands at me, as if saying that I was being too formal.

"No need to do all that, Takamori-san. Feel free to call me Yoko-chan! I like it better than Izumi-san," she said. I nodded, hitching a smile onto my face.

"So Takamori-san, I was thinking –"

"Oi! Takamori-san! Matsumoto-fukutaichou calls for you!" A messenger was running towards me from the training grounds. I raised an eyebrow. Matsumoto? But I was still in school. What could she possibly want right now? I turned towards Izumi.

"Sumimasen, Izumi-san. I have to go. I'll talk to you later, ok?" And with that, I ran off towards the entrance of the school. Upon arriving, I found Matsumoto leaning against the school gates, a cheery expression on her face as she waved at me.

"Yo! Mina-chan! Let's go!" She was about to turn and leave when I grabbed her arm, forcing her to face me again.

"Where are we going? I'm still in school!" I said, a bit frustrated at her carefree manner. Hitsugaya would have my head if he found out I cut school to go somewhere with Matsumoto. Not to mention he'd put Matsumoto through the wringer.

"Taichou's birthday is coming up! Don't you want to get him something?" My grip slackened at her words. It was true. I did want to get him something... but now? I still had school...

"You only have sparring left, right? And I could easily help you catch up with that. Plus, this is more important! If we don't go now, all the good presents will be taken by the holiday shoppers!" I considered her words. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. The holidays were coming up, and the shops ought to be filled with shoppers, looking for presents and trinkets for the upcoming festival. If we don't go now, all the worthwhile presents will be snatched away. Reaching this conclusion, I sighed in defeat and followed a cheering Matsumoto off the school grounds.

"We have to find the perfect present! But since it's from you, I'm sure Taichou would be happy with anything!" Matsumoto flounced around, an enormous smile on her face. I gave her a sideways grin, a warm, tingly feeling spreading throughout my body. Yes, we did have to find the perfect present.

The perfect present for the perfect Taichou. The perfect boy. The perfect prodigy. He was perfect. But then again...

Everything was perfect now.

**A/N: So there, the end to a trilogy that has been abandoned MANY MANY TIMES. I'm sorry about the UBERLY late update, and I've said that just about every single chapter for the past year... Still, it's done. Finished. OVER. I'm kind of sad, and I have all of you to thank for me finally updating this. Thank you all **

**I'm not sure whether or not I should continue writing on . My interests have erm... drifted, but then again, they are coming back at a rather alarming pace, so we'll see. ^_~ Until next time then, **

**Arelissa**


	16. Ever Ever Never After

**A/N: And to make up for my INSANE lack of activity... a SUPER fast update. ^^ ENJOY. Here's the EPILOGUE **

Ever Ever Never After

_Every girl dreams of her perfect fairy-tale fantasy, where Prince Charming comes along, and sweeps her off her feet to live happily ever after till the end of time. Someone once told me that nothing ever happens like that. That there is no such thing as a 'happily ever after', but I disagreed. I knew, because I was living my very own fairy-tale fantasy..._

"I told you, I don't want anything for my bir –" I quickly stuffed a bit of cake into the mouth of the protesting Taichou. It was the famous watermelon-flavored cake. We had it specially made for him, with the huge words "Happy Birthday Hitsugaya Toushirou" in pink and green frosting at the top. Matsumoto and I labored through a whole week to get this done. Indeed, there were many screw-ups and we almost blew up the kitchen a couple of times, but we finally got it done. And here he was, refusing to eat it. Does he not know how hard it is to find cake mix for _watermelon-flavored _cake? It was nearly impossible! We had to ask around the whole 10th and 5th Divisions before someone told us where to find it. And even then, it burned a huge hole in my wallet because the shop-keepers had to custom order it. Looks like I won't be buying much at the Coming of New Year's Festival after all.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Toushirou, happy birthday to you!" There weren't many people gathered here. Me, Matsumoto, Hinamori, Ukitake-taichou, and Kyouraku-taichou. Ukitake-taichou had brought it upon himself to bring copious amounts of different candies, all stuffed into a box wrapped with blue present paper. That was his gift. No matter how much Hitsugaya stressed the fact that he did not want a big fuss for his birthday, we still made decorations and hung them up around the room. There were snowflakes and cute little paper 'Hyourinmaru's all over the place. A string of words hanging over the doorway spelled "Happy Birthday to the 10th Division Captain". And as much as he refused to admit it, he was pleased.

He was more talkative today, though most of his comments were jibes and angry comebacks, he was smiling and more animated then I'd ever seen him before. I knew he was happy. There seemed to be a permanent smile plastered to my face. My cheeks were starting to hurt from laughing and smiling so much, but I couldn't get it off. I couldn't help myself.

There was a small stack of presents, neatly lined up on his desk. The smallest box was from me. He tried to hide it, but he was curious as to what we got him. Well, what everyone else got him because Ukitake-taichou had openly announced that his box was full of candy. The food was soon gone as we all loitered around, making light conversation and enjoying ourselves. Hitsugaya was talking to Kyouraku-taichou. Matsumoto and Hinamori were discussing something, while I sat next to Ukitake-taichou talking about going-ons at the Academy.

Suddenly, Matsumoto stood up. Everyone paused to look at her. She smiled down at everyone before clapping her hands.

"Time for the presents!" she cheered. I clapped excitedly and everyone hurried to crowd around the colorfully wrapped boxes. Hitsugaya made his way to the table and everyone helped bring the presents to the coffee table so that we could all see what he got. One by one, he unwrapped them. I had a feeling he was deliberately avoiding my box. Kyouraku-taichou had gotten him a paper-filer. That way, he wouldn't need to personally go through all the papers again to get him in order. I laughed at the expression on Hitsugaya's face. It was a halfway mix between amusement and contemplation, as if he thought it would come in quite handy in future. Matsumoto bought him a membership pass to the best spa in Soul Society.

"You can take a guest with you for free!" she said, winking at me. I blushed a deep shade of red and glared at her. Hitsugaya looked embarrassed before he took up a stern expression and told Matsumoto that she wasn't to have any sake for the next month. Hinamori brought him some of his grandmother's o-manju. He seemed to like it a lot. He even returned her hug, albeit a bit awkwardly.

And finally, he turned to my present. He had a perfectly straight look on his face. Not excited at all, but I knew he was itching to see what was inside. Shaking it slightly, he gave me a look that plainly said 'This better not be something weird'.

I only shrugged, not wanting to give away the surprise. I was sure that he would never have guessed what I'd gotten him.

The box was opened with the utmost care as he peeled away the gift paper. A look of confusion appeared on his face. Turning the box upside down, two parcels tumbled out and landed with thumps on the desk. One was a velvet box and the other was merely a chunky object wrapped in white paper. Picking up the white one, he turned it around in his hands a few times before looking back up at me. It was irregularly shaped, and from the outside, impossible to tell what it was. I only shrugged and smiled at him.

Turning his eyes back onto the parcel, he tore the white paper away tenderly, as if peeling away thousand-year-old parchment that could turn into dust at any moment. The contents were revealed after a couple of seconds. It was a new pen and an inkpot. He only stared, and then lifted his head to look at me again. I couldn't help but blush under the intensity of his gaze. It was... on fire, to say the least.

"I-it just... caught my eye, and I thought that you needed something more... personalized on your desk." I kept my eyes on my hands, clutched tightly in my lap. He didn't say anything, only turned to the second item: the velvet box.

It opened with a click, and an anticipatory silence followed. Finally, he reached in and drew out a small, rectangular object made of jade, with a dragon that curiously resembled Hyourinmaru carved into the top. The figure dragon was standing, its maw opened, eyes made of blue stone staring out at whoever happened to be looking its way. It was a paper weight. The irony behind the present finally seemed to have gotten across to everyone in the room, and they began to laugh. Even I giggled, rather embarrassedly it was true, but nonetheless, I laughed. Hitsugaya was the only one that remained completely stony faced. The laughter soon subsided as everyone looked back at Hitsugaya, waiting for some kind of reaction.

"Thanks," he finally said, putting the present to one side. He spoke no more of it for the rest of the party, which drew to a close near midnight when Ukitake-taichou deemed it much too late for someone like him to be out and about, dragging a rather drunk Kyouraku-taichou with him. Hinamori went with them and Matsumoto was the one that waved everyone off at the door. I felt very tired all of a sudden and kind of let down at the same time. Hitsugaya had shown no particular joy or indeed any kind of emotion at all when he'd opened my present. In fact, now that I thought back on it, mine were the ones he seemed to pay the least attention to. Scrunching my nose in distaste, I proceeded with the cleaning up of the somewhat trashed head of Division 10.

I was so immersed in my own strands of thought that I didn't notice Hitsugaya standing right behind me, and it wasn't until I felt a strong pair of arms wrap around my waist, successfully halting my movements, that I realized he was there. I gasped, surprised.

"Toushirou!"

His chin rested lightly on my shoulder and his breathing was slow and measured.

"Thank you." It was only two words, but two words that erased all doubt from my mind. I smiled, turning in his arms and placing a small kiss on his nose. He was so tall now...

"You're welcome." And, following my train of thoughts as I bought him the present I continued, "You know, you spend so much time with that desk of yours, sometimes I feel as if you like your desk more than anything else in the world."

At this, he scoffed, rolling his eyes, pushing me lightly on the shoulder and causing me to fall backwards onto the couch. I laughed and he chuckled, resting his forehead against mine.

"Now why would you think that?" he asked, mockingly. I didn't answer, instead, I choose to finish up the rest of my speech.

"See, so now when you're at your desk, you'll have something to remind you of me. That way, you won't ever forget again." He blinked, then smirked his oh-so-famous smirk. The one that told me he had a reply and it was not going to be a nice one.

"You say 'again'… but need I remind you that _you_ were the one that forgot about _me_."

I frowned and hit him on the shoulder, drawing out another deep, rumbling laugh as he pretended to be hurt.

"Oh shut up..."

"I love you too, you annoying little girl."

"Workaholic."

"Witch." I grinned and kissed him.

Engraved upon the side of the paper weight were the words:

_Happy birthday._

_-Takamori Minako_

_I love you too, you know._

**A/N: So there. The final 'chapter'. Now you all know what Minako got him. I sincerely hope everybody enjoyed this story. **

**I've begun working on a new story (also HitsuxOC), hopefully better than this one since - now that I look back on it - this really wasn't the most well-written story of all time, especially near the beginning. Not to mention the somewhat large plotkai's and stuff like that. XD So I'm hoping the next one will be better. Please continue to support Bleach in all it's wonderful glory, and of course, Tite Kubo-sensei for bringing us such wonderful characters stories. **

**Thank you all. Until next time... **

**Arelissa**


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